Filly Fooling
by cooopercrisp
Summary: This is the story of how a group of friends discover new things about their sexuality…and about their relationships with each other. Rated M for sexual content, language, and some violence.
1. Giggling Gaggling Mares

**Chapter 1: Giggling Gaggling Mares**

"This is going to be so great!" Twilight squealed as she used her magical horn to sort books that had been incorrectly shelved in the library. Spike was perched on a ladder, dusting one of the higher shelves.

"I still think it's a little rude for you to kick me out…" Spike mumbled.

"Oh, Spike, you know how it is. It's just going to be a bunch of giggling gaggling mares talking about makeup and boys and other foalish things. You'd be _totally_ bored."

"Not necessarily…" Spike said, imagining things about Rarity he'd rather not divulge to Twilight. "But I suppose I can hang out with Daisy for one night."

"Thanks Spike. You're the best."

"Don't mention it," Spike said. "Hey, any chance you wanted that Slumber 101 book? I have it right here." He waved the book out to Twilight.

"No thank you, Spike. For this slumber party, I'm going to be off-book." Twilight giggled at her pun. Spike rolled his eyes but smiled just the same. He climbed down the ladder and approached Twilight with his chest puffed out.

"I'm all done!" he proclaimed. Twilight beamed at him and gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you for helping me tidy up! I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Sure thing, Twilight. Good night!" Spike went to open the door, but it swung open and knocked him asunder as a cyan-colored pony zoomed into the library, leaving behind a rainbow trail in her wake.

"Hey, Twilight! Hope I'm not too early for the big party! The weather's supposed to be calm tonight, so they didn't need me too much at work today."

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, you're never too early. I'm so glad to see you." It was then that Twilight saw Spike on the floor, rubbing his head in a daze.

"Are you okay, Spike?" she asked, trotting over to him and helping him off of the floor.

"I'm okay, I think…why are there three of you?"

"Maybe you should get going now before you really hurt yourself…" Twilight said with a sheepish grin.

"My bad, Spike!" Rainbow Dash called out.

"Don't worry about it, Dash." Spike turned to leave again but stopped short when he saw Rarity trot inside, wearing a knapsack on her back and pawing through her mane with her left hoof.

"Oh, I do hope the humidity hasn't done a complete number on my mane. A mare must always look her best, no matter the situation… Goodness, Spike, I didn't even see you there! How are you?"

"Hi Rarity…" said Spike, his eyes glazing over as if in a trance. Rarity chuckled and gently pushed Spike out of her path. Spike held his arm where her hoof had made contact as if in disbelief.

"Rarity, so glad you could make it!" Twilight said with a smile.

"Hey, Rare, what's shaking?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow Dash, are you the pony responsible for all this muggy weather? It's not even June yet and my mane feels like it just stepped out of a sauna."

"Hey, I don't make the forecasts, I just carry them out."

"Don't worry, Rarity," Twilight said, "you look stunning."

"You certainly do…" Spike said with a dumb look on his face.

"Um…Spike?" Twilight asked tentatively. "Shouldn't you be getting going now?"

"What's the rush?" Spike asked.

"Oh, you poor thing, you," Rarity said, trotting over to Spike and giving his forehead a quick kiss. "I hope you have a good night."

"I will…" Spike said as he walked out of the library, feeling his forehead and blushing furiously as he left. Rarity shut the door and trotted back over to her friends.

"Man," Rainbow Dash said, "has he got the hots for you!"

"Oh, it's quite all right. Stronger colts than him have fallen whim to my charms." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Twilight giggled.

"So, Rarity," Rainbow Dash asked, "did you bring the…?"

"Of course, my dear, what kind of party would it be without something to aid it along?"

"Great!" Twilight said. "While we're waiting for the others to get here, why don't we set up your sleeping bags upstairs?" Twilight asked.

"All right," Rainbow Dash said before zooming up the stairs to Twilight's room. Rarity shook her head and followed at a much slower pace. As they set up the sleeping bags they got to talking about various affairs of Ponyville, including the news that Princess Celestia herself would be giving the small town a visit during her tour of Equestria.

"Oh, I simply can't wait for Princess Celestia to come to Ponyville!" Rarity said. "I will finally have a chance to show a member of royalty how fabulous I am. Oh, I hope I make a good impression."

"You've already made a good impression!" Rainbow Dash said. "You helped us all save Equestria _twice_! Besides, you've got connections. Twilight, you're the princess's top student, right?"

"Well, I don't like to brag, but…" Twilight started.

"Oh, I'm so envious, dear. What I wouldn't give to study under such royalty for all my youth. What's she like? I mean, _really_ like, behind the royal façade?"

"Oh, um…" Twilight said, unsure of where to begin. "She's really kind and generous. She's a great teacher, firm but somehow gentle at the same time. She knows when to hold your hoof through difficult challenges and when to let you figure things out on your own. You know, I mention you a lot when I write to her."

"Really?" Rarity asked, suddenly flustered. "Oh my, what do you tell her about me? I hope you've given her a great deal of detail about my boutique. I've always dreamed about designing clothes for the royal family ever since I was a little filly. How marvelous it would be to attend a ceremony and see such beauties wearing fabrics of my design!"

"Man, Rarity, cool it with the mare-crush, will you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Next you'll be asking her to marry you."

"Come now, Rainbow Dash, don't be absurd," Rarity said, blushing a little more than she would have liked. Just then a doorbell chimed from downstairs.

"I'll get it," Twilight said with a laugh. "Try to behave till I get back, okay?" Twilight went downstairs and opened the door to let in Fluttershy, who was grateful to come in.

"Oh, it's so nice to see you, Twilight. I wanted to get here before dark because you know how scared I get at night, and I almost thought I wouldn't make it because the sun started setting before I had entered the town proper, but I'm glad I'm here now and oh dear I'm rambling. I'm really sorry, it's just that I get nervous really easily and I―"

"Relax, Fluttershy. I'm glad you're here." Twilight gave her a big smile, which Fluttershy returned meekly. Suddenly, the door opened again and Applejack, looking a bit disgruntled, trotted in along with the always-bouncy Pinkie Pie.

"Twilight, I'm super-duper excited about our Awesome Mare's Night Slumber Party! Is everypony else here yet? I hope we're not too late and we missed anything! I was in a big hurry when I left the bakery because I thought I was going to be late, so I started galloping through the town until I galloped straight into Applejack here!"

"She's been apologizin' here the whole way since," Applejack said with a sigh. "Ah told her to knock it off, and then she started apologizin' about apologizin' too much."

"Well, at least you made it in one piece," Twilight said. "Everypony else is upstairs, so once you girls set down your bags we can get started."

"Oh, goody! I call the spot under the window!" Pinkie Pie whinnied before galloping towards the stairs. Fluttershy cast her head down.

"I wanted the spot under the window…" she mumbled, but nopony heard her. Twilight led Fluttershy and Applejack up the stairs and into the bedroom, where Pinkie Pie was already laying on her sleeping bag, Rainbow Dash was flying around the room, and Rarity was combing her hair.

"Well, we're all here now!" Twilight announced. "Let the slumber party begin!"

Twilight admitted to herself that she had been nervous about going off-book for the slumber party, but as she ducked and weaved her way past flying pillows, her worries easily melted away. Perhaps it had been the alcohol Rarity had provided for the friends, but everyone was loose and having fun. Twilight laughed as she launched a pillow at Rainbow Dash so hard that he fell out of the air in shock. Rainbow Dash tried to return a pillow at Twilight's face, but she ducked and the pillow hit Rarity instead. Rarity glared at Rainbow Dash and used her magic to bombard her with five pillows. Pinkie Pie giggled mirthlessly when she saw Rainbow Dash buried under the fluffy pillows, but then Rainbow Dash hit her in the face with one of them. Applejack bucked a pillow at Rainbow Dash's rump, and Rainbow Dash turned in surprise before launching a pillow at Applejack. Upon Twilight's bed, away from all the chaos, Fluttershy was watching her friends' frantic fight. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash launched a pillow at Rarity but missed and knocked Fluttershy off of the bed.

The fighting momentarily ceased as the five mares wondered if Fluttershy was all right. When she rose back onto the bed with the pillow in her mouth, everypony else breathed a sigh of relief…until Fluttershy whacked Rainbow Dash in the face with it. Suddenly, the normally reserved pony became a brash force to be reckoned with as she dove into the fray of the fight, laughing and blushing uncontrollably.

Eventually, though, the six mares tuckered themselves out, lying on the floor in a heap of pillows and feathers, laughing and attempting to catch their breath.

"That was the bestest, most awesomest pillow fight ever!" Pinkie declared.

"It sure was," Applejack concurred, glaring at Rainbow Dash playfully, as the cyan-colored mare had frequently targeted her.

"So what's next?" Rainbow Dash asked, leaping to her hooves as if she was ready for another round of pillow fighting.

"Do ya even have an off-switch?" Applejack asked.

"Nope, the Dash is always turned on!" Rainbow Dash declared. Applejack looked at her querulously until Rainbow Dash realized the double entendre. "Not like that, pervert!"

"Hey, I'm not the one making innuendos over here!"

"Easy girls," Twilight said, taking control over the situation. "I'm sure Rainbow Dash didn't mean it."

"I know what we can do!" Pinkie Pie suddenly interjected. "Let's play Truth or Dare! I'll go first!"

"Are…you sure, Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy and Rarity also seemed skeptical.

"Of course! What's a slumber party without a little fun and embarrassing Truth or Dare?"

"Oh, please," Rarity said, turning her snout to the air. "That is a little filly's game. How silly it is to think that we would partake in something so…immature."

"It sounds to me like Rarity has something to hide…" Twilight said with an uncharacteristically saucy grin. Rarity shot a nervous look at Twilight. Rainbow Dash perked up with excitement.

"Ooh…Twilight just burned you good! You should see your face!"

"Whatever do you mean, Rainbow Dash?"

"You're totally blushing!" Rainbow Dash said.

"I am not!" Rarity cried, though she could feel heat rising in her cheeks. Rainbow Dash and Applejack started laughing.

"You silly fillies," Rarity said, regaining her composure. "I am a pony of prestigious status, and I can assure you that I have no skeletons in my closet, so to speak."

"Well then, prove it!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Truth or Dare?"

"Well," Rarity said, "I suppose I'll play along, and since I am in no mood to perform whatever absurd task Pinkie Pie is capable of imagining, I shall pick Truth."

"Okay!" Pinkie said, snickering. For a moment she had such a hard time containing her laughter that Rainbow Dash looked at her with a mischievous grin.

"What have you got in mind, Pinkie Pie?" she asked. "Is it something really embarrassing?"

Pinkie Pie nodded with outrageous mirth before finally blurting out "Have you ever thought about mating with a mare?"

The other ponies oohed at the question and gazed eagerly at a flustered Rarity, all except Fluttershy, who simply withdrew her hooves and turned her head away. Rarity smiled nervously and started pawing the ground awkwardly, refusing to meet the gaze of her expectant friends.

"Well…I can assure you I'm no filly-fooler; however…I have always held some curiosity about the potential power of a mare's touch." Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, Applejack tried to suppress a giggle, Twilight simply stared at Rarity as if realizing she had never really known her before. Pinkie Pie, however, grinned lasciviously.

"Care to find out?" she asked, slowly approaching Rarity.

"Excuse me!" Rarity said. "If I had wanted a dare I would have asked for one."

"Just kidding!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Okay, it's your turn now Rarity."

"Well, all right, if you insist. Pinkie Pie, Truth or Dare?"

"You can't do me! You have to pick somepony else!"

"Since when did that become a rule?" Rarity asked.

"Actually, Pinkie's right," Twilight said. "I remember reading about that in Slumber 101."

"Fine, if that's the way you want it. Twilight, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth, obviously," Twilight said quickly, but then wondered if she would regret it. Rarity took her time calculating what question would spark the most scandal. Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity with anticipation building in her whole body, almost the way it did right before taking off into flight.

"Have you ever kissed a stallion?" Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash seemed to deflate on the spot.

"_That's_ the best you could come up with?" Rainbow Dash asked, crossing her forelegs in disappointment.

"Well…" Twilight said, thinking. "No, I haven't." She turned her head down in dismay, almost mimicking the way Fluttershy was sitting.

"Oh dear, don't feel bad," Rarity said. "I never have either."

"What?" Twilight asked, her head shooting up.

"It was not for want of opportunity, I assure you," Rarity said. "I've just never met a gentlecolt dashing enough for me to consider kissing."

"Oh, okay…" Twilight said with a puzzled look on her face.

"You seem surprised," Rarity said with concern etched on her face.

"Oh! It's just…you're really pretty Rarity and I guess I just kind of assumed…"

"Assumed what, dear?" Rarity asked, beginning to look offended.

"Nothing," Twilight said before realizing what she was implying. "Oh, certainly not that! I just thought you'd have a little more experience."

"It's quite all right, dear, you're not the first pony to make that assumption. You should hear some of the gossip that buzzes around Ponyville about me."

"Doesn't that make you feel…uncomfortable?" Twilight asked.

"Of course not." Rarity said, quivering slightly but holding her resolve. "Any publicity is good publicity, and if some ponies want to spread uncouth rumors about me, well then I say let them."

"Bored!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "Twilight, you have to pick somepony next!"

"Okay, let me think…" Twilight said. "Hmm…Rainbow Dash, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare. Obviously, what did you think I was gonna say?"

"Okay, hmm…" Twilight considered something crazy for Rainbow Dash to do, but she knew that Rainbow Dash had almost no inhibitions. Then she figured something out that would make Rainbow Dash crestfallen.

"Okay, for the rest of the night, you aren't allowed to use your wings to fly," Twilight said.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What happens if I do?"

"Hmm…I guess we'll have to…shave off your mane!" Twilight cried.

"Good one, Twilight," Applejack said, while Rainbow Dash scrunched up her face as if considering the option of losing her mane. Miffed at Applejack's remark, she turned to her.

"Okay, Applejack, Truth or Dare?"

"Well…" Applejack started. "Ah know ah'm the Element of Honesty and all, but that pillow fight got me feeling all riled up…ah think ah'll go with a dare."

"Excellent…" Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her fore hooves together. Pinkie Pie gasped.

"You're accepting a dare from Rainbow Dash?" she squealed.

"Oh…reckon ah shoulda thought that one through…" Applejack said.

"Too late!" Rainbow Dash said with glee. "I dare you to…kiss Rarity, full on the mouth, for a solid ten seconds!" The other ponies gasped. Fluttershy looked almost offended. Pinkie Pie's eyes bugged out. Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash as if she had just sputtered a filthy swear.

"What in heaven's name are ya thinking, Rainbow Dash?" she asked.

"Well, you said you always wondered what it'd be like to be touched by a mare…here's your chance to find out!" Rainbow Dash explained. Applejack scratched the back of her neck and swallowed nervously.

"Well...ah ain't one to back down from a challenge, so ah guess ah'll just have to do it."

"Really, Applejack, are you sure?" Rarity asked.

"Ah am, though ah don't reckon ah can say the same fer you, Rarity." Rarity looked around the room at the other mares, but then steeled herself.

"No. I will not be deemed a coward by my friends. Let's do it."

"Ooh, this is gonna be good…" Rainbow Dash said. Fluttershy even peeked over, curious at what was about to happen. Applejack trotted over to Rarity with a smile and a blush. Rarity fluttered her eyelashes at her, inviting her in.

"Hold on a second…won't this be yer first kiss?" Applejack asked.

"I suppose it would be," Rarity said, "and what better way to start than with a good friend?"

"Whoa, Rarity, I thought you weren't into this at all," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, I've had a moment to grow accustomed to the idea, and really, it does seem rather appealing. You are quite cute, you know, Applejack, and a far cry more dependable than most of the stallions who have courted me…I daresay I should consider myself lucky."

Against Rarity's intent, this only served to make Applejack even more uncomfortable, but she swallowed her pride and placed a hoof on Rarity's neck, stroking her mane.

"Nice move," Rainbow Dash said.

"Will ya be quiet?" Applejack asked. "Twilight, can ya shut 'er up?"

"Sure, Applejack. Rainbow Dash…"

"I know, I know," Rainbow Dash said, pretending to zip her lip shut.

"Thank ya," Applejack said, returning her gaze to Rarity. The two of them leaned closer. They could feel each other's warm breath enter their nostrils, and the smell was not unpleasant. Finally, Applejack committed and closed the gap, opening her mouth and placing it against Rarity's own. Rarity gave a shudder of surprise, but relaxed into the kiss, closing her eyes and feeling Applejack's lips rub against her own. Twilight was keeping one eye on the clock, but Rainbow Dash noticed and quickly paced over to her.

"Wait," she whispered into Twilight's ear. "Let's see how long they hold it." Twilight gave Rainbow Dash a revolted look for a moment, but then smiled and nodded. Pinkie Pie's mouth was open in surprise, and Fluttershy was glancing over quickly, but then burying her head in her hooves, feeling ashamed of herself. After a full thirty seconds had passed, Applejack and Rarity finally broke off the kiss and looked away, both of them blushing.

"Whoa! You guys took three times the amount of time I asked!" Rainbow Dash cried.

"Did we really?" Rarity asked. "I must have lost track of the time."

"Yeah, right!" Rainbow Dash sneered. "You were enjoying it, weren't you?"

"Well, it was a new experience for me," Rarity said. "But, come to think of it…it wasn't as unpleasant as I would have thought at first."

"Really?" Pinkie Pie asked, in shock.

"Well," Rarity said coyly, "at first there wasn't much to it, but things got decidedly more interesting when Applejack decided to slip her tongue into my mouth…"

"Excuse me! Ah did no such thing!" Applejack cried, but her red cheeks gave her away.

"Whoa…" the other ponies said. Even Fluttershy glanced up out of curiosity, forgetting her shame.

"Applejack…?" Twilight asked, barely attempting to contain a deeply satisfying grin.

"Well, ah have kissed stallions before, and ah remember doin' that with them and…ah guess ah just did it out of instinct."

"Applejack, you dog!" Rainbow Dash cried, slapping her friend on the back. "Who knew you were such a player?" Applejack's cheeks were as bright red as the red delicious apples she had been harvesting that day.

"Well, I think Applejack has definitely earned herself a turn! Who's it gonna be, Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Ah reckon it should be you, Pinkie Pie. You started this whole thing, after all. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!" Pinkie Pie said even more quickly than Rainbow Dash had.

"Great…" Applejack said, a wicked grin creeping up her face as she looked at Rainbow Dash. Usually fearless, Rainbow Dash quaked a little when she saw the look Applejack was giving her, as if anticipating the sweet revenge that was coming to her.

"Ah dare ya to kiss Rainbow Dash on the lips," Applejack said.

"Wow, Applejack, that's unoriginal. How lame can you get?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh, Sugarcube, ah meant the _other_ pair of lips…" Applejack said. The entire room seemed to gasp, and Rarity let out an undignified squeal. Fluttershy was trying desperately to hide her face behind her hooves. Twilight felt her cheeks heat up furiously. Even Pinkie Pie seemed taken aback, but not nearly as much as Rainbow Dash.

"You want her to do _what_?" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice cracking on the word "what."

"You heard me, Rainbow Dash. Ah asked Pinkie Pie to―"

"I know, I know, I heard you!" Rainbow Dash said, shaking her hooves. Pinkie Pie, however, had recovered from her initial shock and returned to her normal exuberance.

"Okay. Get ready, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounded towards her.

"Hey, hold on, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash said.

"What is it, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack said. "Scared?"

"I'm not scared!" Rainbow Dash cried too quickly. "I just need to…get into position." Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and splayed herself out on her back, spreading her hind legs wide.

"Oh, this is so undignified," Rarity said. "I can't bear to watch…" She covered her eyes with her foreleg, but peeked one of them out regardless.

"Okay, Rainbow Dash, you ready?" Pinkie Pie asked. Rainbow Dash swallowed a particularly large gulp.

"I'm ready," she said hesitantly.

"Okay, then, here I come!" Pinkie Pie said and gave Rainbow Dash's lips a moist smooch. Applejack fell over herself laughing hysterically. Twilight and Rarity looked at each other at a loss for words. Fluttershy lost all sense of self-consciousness and was staring at Rainbow Dash's loins with curiosity.

"Wow, Rainbow Dash," Pinkie Pie declared, "you taste spicy, just like a rainbow!" Applejack let out a whoop of laughter as she pounded her hooves into the ground. Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks flush hotly, groaning with embarrassment.

"Wow, Pinkie," Twilight said, "you really have quite the…indiscretion."

"Okay, Twilight! Truth or Dare?" Pinkie Pie asked. Applejack picked herself off of the floor.

"Ah can't…ah can't breathe…" she muttered to no response.

"Well," Twilight said, "seeing how the Dares are going tonight, I'm going to pick a truth."

"Smart girl," Rarity said.

"Great!" Pinkie Pie said. "Okay, so…have you ever clopped before?"

"What?" Rainbow Dash sputtered. Applejack finally stopped laughing and looked at Twilight, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, um…" Twilight said, feeling sweat start to trickle down her neck. Every second she hesitated seemed to amplify the excitement of the room, up until the point where Rainbow Dash had to say something.

"You're taking so long to answer, it's obvious what you're going to say," she said.

"Okay, fine! I've done that. Contrary to what you may think, I knew quite a few stallions in Canterlot and I'd find myself thinking about them at night in the summer when it's hard to sleep and…it just comes natural to everypony, so why not?"

"Did you…did you ever use books to help you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow Dash, please, it's not your turn," Rarity scolded.

"No, it's okay, Rarity," Twilight said, feeling surprisingly comfortable all of a sudden. "To answer your question, Rainbow Dash, what kind of mare do you take me for? Of course as soon as I started feeling this way I did extensive research in my spare time and I learned a lot about…you know…positions"―Rainbow Dash scoffed―"and erogenous zones, and there were even a few books with pictures to help…get you in the mood."

"Did you ever use Playmare?" came a whisper. Everypony turned in disbelief to Fluttershy, whom they had nearly forgotten. Rainbow Dash stared at Fluttershy in disbelief.

"Well…honestly, Fluttershy, no, I didn't, but I can see where it would be useful in theory."

"Yeah, me too…in theory…" Fluttershy said, burying her head back behind her hooves.

"Well," Twilight said, trying to diffuse the awkward silence that had settled, "I think that's enough Truth or Dare for one night."

"Oh, but Fluttershy didn't get a turn!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Pinkie Pie," Twilight said, "I'm sure she doesn't want to play, so let's just―"

"No," Fluttershy muttered, "she's right. I think I should get a turn." Twilight looked at Fluttershy in disbelief.

"Really?" Fluttershy nodded.

"Okay then…Truth or Dare?"

"I think I'll go with a dare, if that's okay with everypony…"

"Sure."

"That's fine."

"No problem."

"All right," Twilight said. At first she considered going easy on Fluttershy, but then she decided that enough barriers had been crossed tonight that stepping over one more wouldn't do any damage. She decided on a compromise.

"Fluttershy, I dare you to make a sex noise," Twilight said.

"A what?" Fluttershy asked.

"You know," Twilight said, "like you're…coming."

"Coming where?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight tried to phrase her answer delicately.

"Like you're having an orgasm," Rainbow Dash blurted out, causing Twilight's stomach to zing.

"Oh, um…okay. I guess I'll try." The other ponies leaned in towards Fluttershy, expecting something feeble. They reared back in surprise when Fluttershy let out a decidedly passionate cry of ecstasy. Rarity put her hooves over her mouth.

"Whoa, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said. "Is that what you actually sound like?"

"Not exactly," Fluttershy said. "I toned it down for you ponies. It's a lot higher-pitched when I'm actually clopping."

"Okay…" Twilight said quickly, before everypony else had finished processing what Fluttershy had just said. "I'm feeling tuckered out so I think we should call it a night. Does that sound good?"

"Yes, indeed," Rarity said. "I do need my beauty sleep, after all."

"Same here," Applejack said. "Ah never stay up this late, on account of waking up at the crack of dawn back on the farm."

"Okay, everypony. Sleepy time!" Pinkie Pie declared, rushing to her sleeping bag.

"Good night, everypony," Twilight said once everypony had settled in. They all said good night in turn.

"And seriously, nopony better clop in here. If you're feeling that hot under the bridle, take it to the bathroom," Rainbow Dash said. Everypony else chose not to respond as they settled in for bed.


	2. Fuck, Buck, or Marry

**Chapter 2: Fuck, Buck, or Marry**

Once everypony had settled into their sleeping bags (or, in Twilight's case, a bed), Twilight used her magic to shut off the lights.

"Um, Twilight?" Fluttershy whispered. "If it isn't too much trouble, could you turn on the light in the stairway? Only I'm a little afraid of the dark…"

"No problem, Fluttershy," Twilight said, and a dim light flicked on in the stairwell.

"Much better. Thank you."

"No problem," Twilight said.

"Fluttershy, is there anything that _doesn't_ scare you?" Rainbow Dash muttered groggily.

"Rainbow Dash, don't be so insensitive," Rarity chided.

"No, Rarity, it's okay," Fluttershy said. "Well, Rainbow Dash, animals don't scare me because I'm good with them, and I like the trees and the flowers, but…I guess you could say there are a lot of things that could scare me."

"Yeah, but you did admit that you liked to clop," Rainbow Dash said.

"Rainbow Dash ―" Rarity sputtered.

"Rarity, it's fine, really," Fluttershy said.

"Are you sure, dear?" Rarity asked.

"Pretty sure," Fluttershy said. Rarity let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, Rainbow Dash, at first I was really uncomfortable about it, but once I decided to start I realized how good it felt, and I guess I've just been doing it ever since…"

"Oh, okay," Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey," Applejack said, "if it isn't intrudin', do you pegasi ever git, ya know…stiff in the wings?"

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ya know…wing-boners?"

"So immature," Rarity mumbled.

"Well…yeah," Rainbow Dash said, "especially if you stroke them real gently. Sometimes it's a problem when you're flying; you gotta stay loose or you risk not catching any air drafts and you could fall."

"Ah never knew that," Applejack said.

"Well, where did you hear about them?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, ah meant ah never knew the whole danger-when-flying thing. Ah guess I just used to hear other pegasi talkin' about it when ah was in town."

"That's a little strange to be talking about that in public," Twilight said.

"Well…they might have been a little inebriated," Applejack elaborated.

"Whoa, Applejack," Pinkie Pie suddenly chirped up, "you've been out partying at night?"

"Well…once in a while, when I have the next day off," Applejack said, starting to feel self-conscious.

"How come I've never seen you?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Applejack felt uncomfortable trying to explain herself. The truth was that she did try to make a point of avoiding her friends when she was out at night, for reasons too complicated to begin to talk about. _She_ wasn't even sure why the hypothetical situation made her so wary.

"Ah reckon we just happen to miss each other," Applejack said, which wasn't _really_ a lie, but it failed to elaborate upon why they happened to miss each other.

"Hey, speaking of weird erections," Rainbow Dash said, "I've…kind of heard that unicorns' horns are _really_ sensitive to touch. Is that true?"

"Rainbow Dash, honestly!" Rarity huffed. "Don't you think that's a bit personal?"

"It's about as personal as what you were doing with Applejack earlier."

"Really now, that coming from the mare who had Pinkie Pie's tongue up her―" Twilight loudly cleared her throat to interrupt the argument.

"I'll answer if Rarity won't," Twilight said. The game of Truth or Dare had made her surprisingly comfortable when it came to opening up to her friends. "Actually, Rainbow Dash, I tried it myself at first and…it is really stimulating. I did some research on it and it turns out that unicorn horns have a lot of the same nerve endings as the penises of stallions, and similar sensations arise in the body when they're touched." Rarity could feel heat rising into her cheeks.

"Whoa," Rainbow Dash said. "Do they ever…you know…cream?"

"For heaven's sake," Rarity said, turning away from the other ponies with a dramatic huff.

"Of course not, Rainbow Dash," Twilight explained. "Even if a fluid like that existed, there's no orifice in the horn from which it can be released. Sometimes though, if you aren't careful, you could cause some unintended magical reactions that could be embarrassing to explain…" Twilight momentarily flashbacked to a particular incident where she had caused something to happen that was quite difficult to explain to Princess Celestia, but she quickly pushed that to the back of her mind.

"Huh, probably should have realized that," Rainbow Dash said.

"So wait," Pinkie Pie said, shooting out of her sleeping bag with excitement. "Applejack, you said you've kissed _stallions_ before. Who, who, who?"

"Easy, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said. "Let the mare answer."

"Um…" Applejack muttered.

"You feeling okay there, AJ?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk.

"Shut yer trap, Dash. Ah'm thinkin'…"

"Suit yourself," Rainbow Dash said. Then she dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Bet you've never really kissed a stallion anyway…"

"Excuse me, Rainbow Dash, but ah reckon ah've kissed _many_ a stallion, thank ya very much! Do ya take me fer a liar? Ah'm the goddamned Element of Honesty, fer Celestia's sake!"

"Easy, Applejack," Twilight said. "Rainbow Dash was just teasing you, weren't you, Rainbow Dash?"

"Sort of…"

"Well, if you _must_ know, I almost had a bit of a hook-up with Lucky once…"

"_What_?" Rarity blurted out, completely forgetting her discretion.

"When did that happen?" Twilight added.

"It was at some shindig in town. Ah have to admit we were both a little tipsy. He took me away from the party and decided to plant one on me, and ah just kind of rolled with it."

"I didn't know Lucky was such a player!" Rainbow Dash said.

"So what happened after that?" Pinkie Pie asked, practically bouncing on her bag. "Did you…_do it_?"

"What kind of mare do ya think ah am, Pinkie Pie? Ah'm still a virgin, and ah ain't about to give it away anytime soon, unlike _somepony_ over here."

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash said. "That thing with Pinkie Pie didn't count. And for your information, I did the deed back in flight school."

"Well, _there's_ something I wouldn't have minded not knowing," Rarity huffed.

"Who'd you do it with?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Do I know him?"

"Nah, none of you guys know him. He moved to Fillydelphia," Rainbow Dash explained. He dropped his voice to an inaudible whisper this time. "Bastard still hasn't returned my letters…"

"What was that, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

"Nothing important," Rainbow Dash said quickly.

"So what was it like?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I've never done it before, and I've always been super curious about how stallions feel, and―"

"Really, Pinkie Pie," Rarity interjected. "That's hardly any of our business."

"Thanks, Rarity," Rainbow Dash said. Thinking about him was still painful.

_Not nearly as painful as what happened with―_

"What about _you_, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Didn't you mention something about Playmare?"

"Something about what?" Fluttershy asked meekly, pretending not to have heard.

"Silly, you asked Twilight if she used Playmare magazines to help her get off!" Pinkie Pie chirped. Rarity sighed, giving up any further attempt to voice her protests.

"I told you I've never used one before…" Fluttershy mumbled.

"Then how'd you hear of it?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Come on," Rainbow Dash said, "it's a famous magazine. Everypony in Equestria has probably heard of it. Even Applehick here knows what it is."

"Come again?" Applejack asked. "Is that supposed to be implyin' that ah've never seen a magazine because ah grew up on a farm?"

"Don't explain the joke, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said with a deadpan expression.

"Well," Fluttershy said, "I _have_ seen one before, and I _did_ look through it when nopony was looking, just out of curiosity…" Everypony seemed stunned. Fluttershy's sexuality became more surprising the more she revealed about it.

"When did ya git a chance to see a Playmare and look through it on yer own?" Applejack asked. "It couldn't have been at any store."

"Well, it wasn't…"

"Then where?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Um, I'm not sure I should tell you…" Fluttershy mumbled. Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Why not?" she asked.

"It's just that…"

"Just what, honey?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy made a squealing noise.

"…I can't say," she said.

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash spurted out. "You're such a tease, Fluttershy."

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, it's just…"

"Just _what_?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"…If I told you, it might be embarrassing."

"Please, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said. "You're _always_ embarrassed."

"No, not for me," Fluttershy said, "for one of you…"

That shut Rainbow Dash up quickly. The other ponies began looking at each other in the dim light, trying to discern what Fluttershy was getting at. One pony, however, thought she got the message, and she was beginning to feel nervous.

"Well," Twilight said, resorting to her analytical nature. "What Fluttershy seems to be suggesting is that she saw a copy belonging to one of us. That's the only reason it would be embarrassing."

"Well then, that's easy," Applejack said. "Who here doesn't own a copy of Playmare? Ah don't."

"Nope," Twilight said.

"Nuh-uh," Rainbow Dash said.

"Not me!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. There was a split second of hesitation.

"Well, don't look at _me_," Rarity said. "A lady with such social standing as moi wouldn't be caught _dead_ touting one of those besotted rags."

"Well, what took you so long to say so?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, given the vulgarity of the conversation, I had simply tuned myself out for a moment," Rarity said.

"A likely story…" Rainbow Dash said, grinning wickedly. "Fluttershy, did you see a Playmare owned by Rarity?"

"Well…" Fluttershy said, not sure how to answer.

"Don't tell them, Fluttershy," Rarity said in a panic, but it looked like the cat was out of the bag.

"Well, golly," Applejack said, "ah guess Little Miss Hussy over here's got a kinky side that needs attendin' to…"

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash chided. "Who'd have thunk it?"

Rarity's cheeks were bright red.

"It's not what you think!" she protested. "I was reading it for the articles…"

"Sure you were," Rainbow Dash said, nodding her head.

"Hold on, guys," Twilight said. "Rarity, it's really nothing to be ashamed of."

"Oh, but what you must think of me now! Rarity, the finest fashion designer in Equestria, who carries herself with the utmost dignity and grace, caught with a magazine not fit for dogs to pee on! You must think I'm such a…such a…"

"Such a what?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Such a _pervert_!" Rarity said, and she threw the sleeping bag over her head, but muffled sobbing could still be heard from within the folds.

"Rarity…" Twilight said. "Of course we don't think that."

"Yeah, Rarity, don't be so dramatic," Rainbow Dash said. "Besides, you didn't seem to have much of a problem smooching with Applejack."

"That was different," Rarity said, her voice muffled. "Applejack's a good friend and we were doing it as part of a game. You know how I like to play by the rules."

"Of course, Sugarcube," Applejack said. "If we were ever gonna think ya were a pervert, it would've been then. So what if ya like to look at some stallions once in a while? Who wouldn't want that?" Applejack suddenly felt a wave of sorrow hit her that was completely unrelated to the empathy she was feeling about Rarity's embarrassment. She did her best to brush it off.

"Do you really mean that, Applejack?" Rarity asked.

"It's the honest truth," Applejack said. "And ya know that's mah specialty."

"All right," Rarity said, revealing herself once again. "I'm sorry for making such a fuss."

"It's all right, Rarity," Fluttershy said. "I'm sorry for saying anything. I didn't want to embarrass you."

"It's okay, dear," Rarity said.

"Bored!" Pinkie Pie interjected.

"Rude much?" Rarity asked.

"What? You guys were getting all mushy when I'm in the mood to talk _dirty_."

"This coming from the queen of mush," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie ignored this; she was instead considering what sultry topic the ponies had not yet discussed.

"So…of all of us, only Rainbow Dash has had sex?" she asked.

"Yep!" Rainbow Dash said with a smug look on her face.

"Well don't start rubbing it in everypony's faces…" Rarity mumbled.

"You jealous?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Hardly. As you know, I have yet to meet a stallion to satisfy my high standards."

"Except for that Prince Blueblood guy who shot down your ass," Rainbow Dash said. Rarity made a sound as if she were gagging.

"I beg your pardon, but one of the qualifications a stallion needs to court me is that he must actually treat me like a lady."

"Really? What poor stallion would get himself stuck trying to fit _that_ bill?" Rainbow Dash scoffed.

"Rainbow Dash, that's enough," Twilight scolded. "You don't have to be so mean."

"I'm just joshing. Geez, you really are a buzz kill, Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight's right," Applejack said. "Insultin' yer friends isn't…it just ain't right."

"Can't you guys take a joke?" Rainbow Dash asked, now becoming quite miffed. "You ponies need to pull the sticks out of your asses…"

"Rainbow Dash, if I may interject," Fluttershy said, "but I agree with the others. Your mean-spirited harassing reminds me too much of your friend Gilda."

_How dare she mention that―!_

"Et tu, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Well, Pinkie Pie knows how to take a good jab every once in a while, don't you, Pinkie Pie?"

"Well…sure," Pinkie Pie said, "but hitting Rarity with that line about Prince Blueblood was kind of a low blow."

"Great, now you've all turned against me," Rainbow Dash said. "Guess I'm not welcome here." Rainbow Dash untangled herself from the sleeping bag and began to trot away.

"Rainbow Dash, wait!" Twilight Sparkle called, but her invocation landed on deaf ears. Rainbow Dash shut herself into the bathroom and locked it tight.

"Aw, hell," Applejack said. "Ah didn't want everypony to git so upset."

"_Well_," Rarity said haughtily, "if she wants to isolate herself, then I say let her. If she thinks I'm so _difficult_ to put up with, then her attention is not worth it."

"Yeah, but something tells me she's put out about somethin' else. Did ya see how riled up she got when Fluttershy here mentioned that griffon? Ah reckon that's the reason she's really upset."

"If you think she's _so_ upset," Rarity said, "why don't _you_ try to talk to her?"

"Rarity, are you all right?" Twilight asked.

"I'm fine, dear," Rarity said.

"Why were you snippy with Applejack just now?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, well…I guess I'm not really concerned with Rainbow Dash's feelings right now, given the way she just insulted me." Twilight sighed.

"Rarity, forgive me for saying it, but that isn't very generous of you…"

"I know, dear," Rarity said, "but I do get offended rather easily. It's a…weakness of mine, if anything resembling a weakness could even exist inside of me." Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, drama queen," she said. "Ah'll talk to Rainbow Dash." Applejack rose from the floor and trotted to the bathroom door. She raised a hoof and knocked gently.

"What do you want?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"RD, it's yer pal, Applejack," she said. "Can I come in?"

"Go away," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack took mild offense to this, but shrugged it off.

"Ah ain't mad at ya no more, Sugarcube. Ah just want to talk to ya fer a second."

"Leave me alone," came the voice from the bathroom.

_Twilight, forgive me fer doing this._ Applejack turned and bucked her hind legs against the door, knocking it clean from the foundation.

"What was that?" Twilight called from the bedroom.

"Nothin' ya can't fix with that magic horn o' yers," Applejack called before entering the bathroom.

"What the hell, Applejack?" Rainbow Dash said. She was slumped on the toilet seat, looking downright miserable. "What if I was doing my business?"

"Somethin' told me ya weren't," Applejack said, "and besides, ah really wanted to try to help ya."

"Help me with what?" Rainbow Dash asked sulkily.

"Well, ya turned all sour on us when Fluttershy mentioned Gilda,"―Rainbow Dash winced at the name―"and ah reckon there was somethin' up with that. Why don't ya tell yer ol' pal Applejack what the ruckus is all about?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Rainbow Dash said.

"Is it because she called ya a flip-flop and ditched ya at Pinkie Pie's party? It seemed pretty rude to me," Applejack said.

"Believe me, that's one of the nicer things Gilda's called me." Rainbow Dash covered her mouth with her hoof, revealing that she had said too much.

"Really? Ah thought ya two were good ol' pals."

"Well…it's complicated, and I don't really want to get into it."

"Ah understand. Nopony's forcin' ya to. But ah reckon ya should apologize to Rarity now. She didn't do nothin' wrong."

"I guess you're right, AJ. I was kind of a prick to her."

"Swell! Let's go." Applejack and Rainbow Dash returned to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Rarity," Rainbow Dash said as soon as she resettled into her sleeping bag. "I don't think you're insufferable. You're actually one of the kindest ponies I've ever met."

"It's quite all right, Rainbow Dash. I'm over it."

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie said. "Everything's back to normal! So who have you ponies all crushed on, huh? Anypony want to play Fuck, Buck, or Marry?" The other ponies groaned.

"I'd love to, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said through a yawn, "really, but I'm quite tired."

"Me too," Fluttershy said. "Sorry…"

"You guys are party poopers!" Pinkie Pie snapped with a humph added for good measure. There was a long silence, and Pinkie Pie was just about to call it a night herself, but Twilight suddenly spoke out.

"Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy," Twilight said.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You can't be serious," Rarity said.

"Um…Twilight?" Fluttershy mumbled.

"Ooh, that's a juicy one!" Pinkie Pie said. "I've never done one about ponies in the room! Let's see…I might be a little biased, but I'd probably have to say I'd fuck Rainbow Dash." Rainbow Dash sputtered.

"What? I'm just saying. I got a little taste of ya, and it's enough to know I wouldn't say no to a little more."

"This is hypothetical, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Completely," Twilight said, unable to stifle the huge grin on her face.

"And…I don't know, I guess I'd have to marry Rarity. Sorry, Fluttershy."

"Oh, really, I don't mind," Fluttershy said, relieved that she didn't have to be a part of Twilight's "hypothetical" scenario.

"Rarity!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Do Applejack, Twilight, and Spike!"

"Spike?" Rarity asked.

"Good one, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash said. "Come on, Rarity, are you gonna break the little guy's heart? Are you gonna pop him out of pity?"

"Really, Rainbow Dash, how vulgar," Rarity said. "But I suppose I must play along…let's see…I suppose Applejack would be the ideal partner in marriage. She's kind, honest, dependable, and a hard worker."

"Aw, shucks, Rarity, you're making me blush."

"Don't mention it," Rarity said. "And I do pity the poor dragon, but not enough to let him…you know. So…I guess I'd have to mate with you, Twilight."

"Really?" Twilight said, surprisingly hot under the bridle at hearing this.

"Hypothetically speaking of course, my dear."

"Yeah, sure…" Twilight said, not sure how to take this surprising feeling that had burst inside of her.

"Okay, Rarity. Pick somepony else," Pinkie Pie said.

"Well, all right…Twilight, my dear, I give you Celestia, Luna, and Discord."

"Excuse me?" Twilight squeaked. Rainbow Dash started laughing.

"Go on, my dear," Rarity said.

"Well, I'd obviously buck Discord."

"Without question."

"Agreed."

"Of course."

"And…" Twilight said, thinking. "Celestia's my teacher, so I really couldn't imagine sleeping with her. I guess I'd have to fuck Luna."

"How saucy!" Rarity said. "To fornicate with a goddess, one can only imagine…if one were attracted to that sex, of course."

"Okay…" Twilight said, thinking of who to target next. A wickedly lascivious grin formed on her face. "Applejack. Big Mac, Braeburn, and Granny Smith."

"Pardon mah language," Applejack said, "but that's fucking disgusting."

"Come on, Applejack," Pinkie Pie said. "That's part of the game! You gotta get into incest at some point, otherwise, it's no fun!"

"That's creepy as hell, but ah reckon ah'll play along. This never leaves the bedroom, got it?"

"Yep," the ponies all said.

"All right…well, ah love mah granny and all, but ah'd have to buck her. There's no way I'd git intimate with her, and ah can't imagine mahself marryin' a mare…where was I? Oh, right. Well…marriage don't imply fornicatin', right? Let's see…ah reckon ah'd fuck Braeburn then, granted that we ain't as closely related, and ah'd settle down with my big brother. Ah reckon that's as good as ah can git."

"Good choice," Rainbow Dash said. "Braeburn is pretty hot…"

"Fer Celestia's sake, RD, that's mah _cousin_…"

"So? It's a compliment!"

"Go ahead then, Rainbow Dash. Do Fluttershy, me, and uh…" Maybe it was because Rainbow Dash had riled her up, but Applejack reacted at an idea that would have a lot of bite to it. "Gilda."

Rainbow Dash had to keep from flaring up in anger at that last one. She took a deep breath and forced herself to think more rationally. It was only a game, after all.

"Well, buck Gilda," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, the way she treated you, Fluttershy? Forget her. And I would definitely, _definitely_ fuck you, Applejack."

"'Definitely,' ya say?" Applejack asked.

"Hell yeah. You're pretty cute for a mare, you know."

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash, but ya don't have to say that."

"Why not? It's true. You've got that whole sexy farmer thing going for you."

"That 'sexy farmer thing'? What in heaven's name are ya talkin' about, Rainbow Dash?"

"Come on, do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Ah reckon ya do."

"Okay, then. Just imagine that you've woken up at the crack of dawn, and you go out and tend to the chickens and milk the cows and plow the fields, and all that work has put you in a really hot sweat, so that your whole body's glazed over, and you've got that healthy coat from being out in the sun, and at the end of the day you pull that ponytail of yours out and let that mane just fall upon your face…" Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped, realizing how into the metaphor she had become.

"Really? Ah had no idea ya thought ah was so sexy, Rainbow Dash. Really, ah'm flattered."

"I mean, this is all hypothetical, of course!" Rainbow Dash said, desperately trying to backtrack.

"Sounds like ya put a lot of thought into that detail…" Applejack said.

"Well…come on! I've seen your stallion family members working, so I just transferred that onto you!"

"Sure ya did, sure ya did…"

"I like stallions! Come on! You heard what I said about Braeburn."

"Relax, RD," Applejack said. "I'm just yankin' yer chain."

"Oh, okay…" Rainbow Dash said rather lamely.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said.

"For what?"

"For saying you would marry me."

"Oh, right," Rainbow Dash said, suddenly remembering how her turn was supposed to end. "Well, you'd make a great wife, Fluttershy. You're caring and kind and really gentle."

"Would that make ya the stallion then, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked.

"What? Not necessarily! Just because it's a marriage doesn't mean there has to be a stallion and a mare."

"Please, ponies, let's not get political about this," Twilight said.

"Yes, you know how foul _those_ discussions can get," Rarity said.

"Fine," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm about to pass out, so good night everypony."

"Good night, Sugarcube," Applejack said. "Night, y'all."

"Good night." The ponies all closed their eyes, and most of them fell straight to sleep. Rainbow Dash, however, found it difficult to relax. She wasn't sure if it was her encounter with Pinkie Pie, the revelation of how sexy she considered Applejack to be, or the reminder of her past with Gilda, but something about tonight had uncoiled something inside her she thought she had repressed long ago. It was begging to come out into the light, to be known by her dear friends, so that they might be able to help her with her ailment. Maybe Twilight had some kind of magic spell to fix…whatever this feeling was inside of her.

_Don't be stupid, Rainbow Dash_, she thought to herself. _It's nothing to be ashamed of_. But she felt ashamed all the same. Rainbow Dash turned over, trying to get comfortable.

"Hey," a small whisper murmured, too soft to wake the other ponies. "RD, ya still awake?"

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said. "You too, AJ?"

"Yep, guess ah'm having a hard time relaxin'."

"Me, too. Bathroom?"

"Bathroom." For the second time that night, Rainbow Dash and Applejack shut themselves into the bathroom for some private words.

"What's got ya all hot under the collar?" Applejack asked.

"Like I said, I don't really want to talk about it…" Rainbow Dash said. "What's up with you?"

"Ah…well, ah reckon ah don't know fer sure. But there's somethin' inside me that seems to be beggin' to come out, only ah can't put mah hoof on what it could be."

"I feel the same way! Although I think I know what I'm feeling…"

"And yer sure ya don't want to share?"

"Positive. It's really embarrassing."

"Suit yerself," Applejack said, patting Rainbow Dash on the back. Suddenly curious, she moved her hoof up Rainbow Dash's neck.

"Golly, no wonder yer havin' a hard time fallin' asleep."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why, yer tighter than mah big ol' brother after plowing the fields all day. You carry all that tension in yer neck?"

"I guess…I never really noticed it before."

"Lay down, RD."

"What?"

"On yer stomach. Come on, now. Ah do this fer Big Mac all the time, and he says ah'm darned good at it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah'm gonna give ya a massage, silly."

"A what?" That strange feeling started creeping up Rainbow Dash's chest, but she managed to quell it. "I guess I could use it." Rainbow Dash laid herself down on the tile of the bathroom. She shivered at the coldness, but felt Applejack's warm body as she positioned herself on top of her.

"Just close yer eyes," Applejack said, "and try to relax…" Rainbow Dash obliged, but her eyes shot open as Applejack pressed down on her neck.

"Ow! What are you trying to do, crack my vertebrae in half?"

"It's supposed to hurt a bit while ah'm doin' it, but it'll feel good once ah stop."

"I hope you know what you're doing…"

"Ya sound fussier than Rarity, and that's sayin' somethin'."

"Fine. The Dash can take a little pain. Dish it out."

"Oh, ah intend to…" Applejack dug into Rainbow Dash's neck, rubbing it up and down. Rainbow Dash started hearing the joints in her neck crack and pop into position, and pleasant waves of comfort coursed through her as they did so.

"Oh wow…" she said.

"What'd ah tell ya?"

"I take back everything I said. This feels _so_ good…"

"Glad to hear it. Brace yerself…" This time Applejack leaned her body weight into her hooves as she pressed against Rainbow Dash's neck. A sharp pain coursed through her every time Applejack pressed down, but in between each effort the relief seemed starker. Applejack started rotating her hooves in circles, and that really caused some joints to start cracking.

"Yer one tough pony, RD. Mah hooves are starting to git tired."

"Well, I think you can stop now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, just give it a minute." Applejack stopped, and the tension that had been built up in Rainbow Dash's neck had all but vanished. Rainbow Dash sighed, and Applejack rubbed her neck more softly. Rainbow Dash shut her eyes, and as Applejack rubbed her down she could feel her wings beginning to quiver. _Uh-oh…_

Rainbow Dash yawned loudly.

"I think I can go to bed now, Applejack. Thanks a lot."

"Oh, um…all right," Applejack said, not sure why she felt like she had been snapped out of a trance. Applejack stood up, and Rainbow Dash followed her back into the bedroom. They got settled into their sleeping bags, and both of them fell asleep soundly.


	3. I Fly Both Ways

**Chapter 3: I Fly Both Ways**

A loud knocking awoke Twilight from her slumber. She gazed at the other ponies lying asleep on the floor. Pinkie Pie was snoring soundly. Rarity pretended she hadn't heard the knocking. Fluttershy's eyes opened slowly, groggy after the long sleep she'd had. Rainbow Dash was unresponsive, sleeping deeply. Applejack groaned and turned to her side.

Twilight sighed and rose out of the bed, careful not to tread on anypony as she trotted towards the stairs. She made her way down to the library floor and opened the front door to see Spike waiting at the doorstep.

"It's noon," Spike said, "and you asked me to wake you guys up."

"Thanks, Spike," Twilight said, nuzzling his head affectionately. "You did well. Let me get my friends up so they can go home."

"Sure," Spike said, walking towards his bed, looking like he was eager to fall asleep himself. Twilight trotted back upstairs to see that only Fluttershy had gotten off of the floor and started to roll her sleeping bag.

"Oh, hello, Twilight," she said. "I was just packing up like you said, because that was Spike knocking at the door, right? Don't get me wrong, I was gonna say goodbye, but I wanted to follow orders and―"

"It's okay, Fluttershy. Thank you." Twilight then turned to Applejack, who she knew was pretending to be asleep.

"Applejack…" Twilight whispered gently into her ear, trying to coax her awake.

"Mmph," Applejack groaned.

"Are you asleep?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, Sugar…" Applejack mumbled.

"Well, it's time to get going," Twilight said.

"Already?" Applejack moaned. "Fine," she said, resigned, and slowly dragged herself onto her hooves. Satisfied, Twilight went over to Rarity.

"Rarity…" she whispered again, in the same coy manner.

"Leave me alone…" Rarity mumbled.

"You have to get going. Don't you have an order due at the end of the week?"

"Oh my stars, I almost forgot!" Rarity shot awake almost instantly, frantically trying to roll up her sleeping bag while she was still in it. She stopped when she heard Twilight laughing and glared at her.

"Sorry, Rarity," Twilight said. Rarity grumbled and struggled to pull herself out of her sleeping bag. Twilight then turned to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, both of whom were still snoring, clearly sound asleep. Rainbow Dash was looking rather uncomfortable, though, so Twilight decided to check on her first.

Twilight nudged Rainbow Dash in the shoulder, eliciting a surprising moan of pleasure from the blue mare.

"Quit teasing me and just do it, will you?" Rainbow Dash mumbled. Twilight ascertained that she was dreaming, but couldn't imagine what it could be about.

"Rainbow Dash," Twilight said sternly. "Wake up." Twilight shook Rainbow Dash, and a sudden gasp told her that the pegasus had awoken.

"Sweet Celestia, Twilight! Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. You were in the middle of a dream, and I thought it best to snap you out of it."

"I was dreaming…?" Rainbow Dash asked dumbly, but then the images from her dream came flooding back to her and she suddenly withdrew with embarrassment.

"You were talking to yourself."

"About what?" Rainbow Dash asked, much too forcefully. Twilight looked concerned.

"Um…I don't know. I nudged your shoulder and you said I should just 'do it'…" Rainbow Dash turned away to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Is that all I said?" she asked. Twilight was even more skeptical now.

"Well…yeah, pretty much."

"No, really Twilight, did I say _anything_ else?"

"No, you didn't," Twilight said. "Why? Would it bother you if you did?"

"Um…no," Rainbow Dash said, suddenly realizing how obvious her embarrassment was. "I was just…forget it. It's complicated."

"What's complicated?" Applejack asked, finally inserting herself into the conversation she had been listening to the whole time.

"Applejack! Hi! Nothing, I was just…Twilight heard me talking in my sleep, and…nothing," Rainbow Dash finished lamely. Somehow her cheeks turned even redder.

"Ya look all flushed," Applejack said. "Are ya okay, Sugarcube?"

"I'm fine! Really. I just…get hot when I'm asleep."

_Oh dear God, WHY did I just say that? Stupid, stupid, stupid―_

"Well, it is the middle of summer," Applejack said. "Ah suppose ah can relate."

"Great," Twilight said. "Now that _that's_ cleared up, I just need to wake up―" Twilight turned and saw Pinkie Pie on her hooves, her sleeping bag already thrown over her back.

"Um…hi, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said. "I didn't hear you get up."

"Well," Pinkie Pie said, "Rainbow Dash's yelping woke me up, and I decided since I couldn't get back to sleep that I'd start packing up, seeing as how that's what the others were doing, and you two were busy talking and I didn't want to interrupt."

"Great," Twilight said, not entirely sure what exactly was so great about it.

"Oh dear," Rarity said, "Twilight, it's been an awful lot of fun…more fun than I had anticipated, to be frank." Applejack swallowed nervously. "But I think it's time for me to be heading off. I'm terribly busy today, as it were, what with that order…"

"Do you…do you need some help?" Fluttershy asked.

"What?" Rarity said. "No, really, Fluttershy, I couldn't impose upon you. You must be up to your haunches with all those animals up at your cabin."

"No, Berry Punch was kind enough to look after them for me. She said take all the time you need off, so I don't think one more day will do much harm. Besides, if you remember, I have a lot of knowledge about sewing."

"You do, dear, but…are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Fluttershy followed this statement with a shiny-eyed smile that no sane pony could resist.

"Well, if you really want to help me, dear, who am I to stop you? And who knows? After we're done we can have a nice cup of tea together. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

"Oh, yes, very much so," Fluttershy said, secretly hoping Rarity didn't try brewing her own tea. Fluttershy had tried it once, and it had taken every effort she could bear to pretend to enjoy it.

"Well, it's settled then!" Rarity said. "I'll be off with Fluttershy. Applejack, I presume your farm needs attending to?"

"Darn tootin', Rarity. Ah can't imagine the state it's in, what with me not being there fer a whole morning. Ah'm sure Big Mac's got it handled, but ya all know how…precocious Applebloom can git tryin' to help, and Big Mac's not the most assertive type…"

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you," Twilight said. "Any plans for you, Rainbow Dash?"

"What?" she asked, having been broken from a line of thought in which she had lost herself.

"Where are you going now?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, probably just back up to Cloudsdale. Don't have too much planned, really, other than sleeping off my hangover. The weather team doesn't need me till tomorrow anyway. There's supposed to be a big rainstorm coming through. Of course, don't go telling anypony; that's supposed to be confidential."

"Okay. How about you, Pinkie Pie?"

"Oh, I don't know! I'll just go where the wind takes me!"

"Sure…well, it was nice having you all over! See you all soon!"

"Bye, Twilight," the other ponies said before trotting down the stairs. Twilight sighed in contentment. The slumber party had been every bit as good as she had hoped it would be, and shockingly scandalous, to boot!

As the ponies left, Spike turned in his bed and saw that Rarity was going to be the last to leave.

"Wait!" Spike said, hopping out of his bed and dashing towards Rarity. She shut the door and turned to face Spike.

"What is it, dear?" Rarity asked.

"I, uh…" Spike said, "just wanted to wish you a safe…journey home?" Rarity giggled, which made Spike feel a bit dejected, but she patted him on the head.

"I'll be careful, Spike. Thank you."

"Um…no problem. Well…bye, then."

"Goodbye, Spike," Rarity said, and she left the library, catching up with a waiting Fluttershy. Spike returned to his bed in a daze, unsure what to make of that little exchange.

Rainbow Dash's head did ache from the alcohol she had drunk the night before, but her mind ached in another way, too. Feelings she had thought she quenched long ago had threatened to surface last night, and she was no longer sure what to make of them.

As she laid on her fluffy bed, Rainbow Dash recounted the most important memories. Certainly, Pinkie Pie's dare had contributed to the situation, but, surprisingly, it had been Applejack's massage that had really set her off. Pinkie Pie's actions had certainly been more intimate, but they hadn't felt quite as…sensual as Applejack's had.

_What does this mean?_ Rainbow Dash asked herself for what seemed like the thousandth time. Though she hated to admit it, it seemed apparent now that Rainbow Dash harbored strong feelings for…mares.

_How can I still feel that way after Gilda?_ Rainbow Dash cringed as the griffon intruded her thoughts, as they always did, unbidden. That "experiment," as Rainbow Dash liked to call it now, had been painful, and she thought it had turned her off to the idea of mares for good. But it was obvious now that was no longer the case.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, groaning. She couldn't let this happen! Applejack was a loyal friend, to be sure, but she feared that her agricultural upbringing had raised her to view romantic feelings in the "old-fashioned" way. What Rainbow Dash was feeling now was certainly _not_ old-fashioned, as she was painfully aware. Could she ever let Applejack know how that massage made her felt, how badly she wished she could have more?

_Think about something else!_ Rainbow Dash said to herself, frustrated. She tried to imagine some stallions, to see if they still managed to attract her. It wasn't long before her mind fell to Soarin', the athletic flyer of the Wonderbolts. Rainbow Dash smiled as she imagined the athletic stallion complimenting her on an impressive trick flight before asking if there was anything he could do to show his appreciation. It was a cheesy fantasy, and Rainbow Dash knew it, but the thoughts still titillated her to the point where she reached towards her crotch instinctually. Rainbow Dash came to her senses, looked down at herself, and chuckled. _I guess I fly both ways…_ she thought, but then groaned again.

_Why do I have to like mares?_

She started imagining Applejack again, bucking apples in the summer heat, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She imagined Applejack removing that hat of hers, unhitching her ponytail, and letting her wild blonde mane blow in the breeze. Her hoof once again roamed to her private parts before Rainbow Dash stopped herself and thrust the back of her head into her pillow, which admittedly had no effect, as the pillow was made of cloud.

Rainbow Dash then wondered why she was only worried about Applejack and not her other friends. She tried to imagine admitting her feelings to them.

She first thought of Fluttershy, her oldest friend of the group. _Fluttershy is so kind, she'd probably be supportive and understanding. It might creep her out a little, but not enough to feel uncomfortable with me._ Rainbow Dash smiled, thinking that she at least had one friend in which she could consider confiding.

_Pinkie Pie…well, she'd probably think it was kinky, but then she'd probably just laugh it off and say it's no big deal. She's also big on secrets, so I might even be able to tell her about Applejack if I needed to…what am I saying? I don't have feelings for Applejack._ Rainbow Dash shook her head in an attempt to snap out of her thoughts of Applejack.

_Okay, Rarity…well, she'd probably be uncomfortable. Then again, she did agree to make out with…damn it! Not her again!_

_ Twilight, Twilight…she's well-read. She'd probably consider it curious on an intellectual level, but how would she feel about it? Honestly, she's a tough one to read…_

Rainbow Dash's analysis complete, she figured she could tell Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie about her feelings if need be, but at this point she wasn't interested in confiding in anyone. Her feelings were confusing enough on their own; she thought speaking to her friends about them would only complicate matters even further.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Rainbow Dash shut her eyes and tried to sleep on it, to see if her subconscious could work things out in her dreams.

Rarity and Fluttershy had managed to finish that order in much less time than Rarity had expected, so the two of them were sitting outside of the boutique with mugs of tea in their hooves. The sun was beating down, but they were in the shade of the building, and there was a gentle breeze that cooled them quite effectively from the warm air.

"Rarity, I'm sorry I told everypony about your magazine…"

"It's quite all right, Fluttershy. Really, you don't have to be so apologetic all the time."

"Oh. Well, sorry for being too apologetic…wait." Rarity laughed as Fluttershy tried to figure out what about that sentence had seemed off.

"Never mind, dear," Rarity said.

"So…" Fluttershy whispered ever so softly, even for her, "um, if you don't mind…what was it like kissing Applejack?"

"Huh?" Rarity asked, unsure if she had heard Fluttershy correctly. "Are you talking about Applejack and me?" Fluttershy nodded.

"Oh. Well, I haven't had a stallion to compare to, but it was rather stimulating, at least on a physical level. But I know enough about such intimacies that one is supposed to feel a deep burning in their core when they feel passionate about the pony they're kissing. Applejack is a dear, but I am not interested in mares on that level, so I cannot say I felt that level of passion stir within me. Does that answer your question, dear?"

"Yes," Fluttershy said, actually concerned Rarity had answered her question _too_ well.

"I was just curious, because I've never done it before…" she said.

"Well, my dear, you must have imagined doing it."

"I guess I have, but I don't really know what to imagine…"

"Really? You must have _some_ idea."

"Sort of…" Fluttershy said. "I know what parts of me I would like a stallion to touch. But…it just feels so _weird_."

"Well, my dear, it's supposed to be a bit uncomfortable. These are very personal acts between two ponies, and I must say if thinking about it didn't make you feel uncomfortable then there would be something wrong with you."

"But it's not the acts themselves that make me feel uncomfortable…" Fluttershy muttered, hiding her face behind her pink mane.

"What is it then, dear?" Rarity asked.

"It's…it's how much I want them…" Rarity chuckled softly.

"Oh, my dear, that's called a libido!"

"A what?" Fluttershy asked.

"I learned it from Twilight a while ago. It's the part of your brain that desires sex. It's a psychological term to describe that passionate feeling I told you should exist when two ponies kiss."

"Oh," Fluttershy said. "Then why do I get that feeling by just thinking about…you know…"

"Fantasies can activate it. How else do you think you can clop? It's hard to get off without your libido firing up. In fact, I'd say it's impossible!"

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "I just wish that…I wish I didn't feel this way."

"Why, darling?" Rarity asked, suddenly concerned. "What's wrong with feeling this way?"

"It's just…it makes me feel like…"

"Like what, dear?"

"…like I'm a _bad_ pony." The emphasis Fluttershy placed on the word "bad" said it all to Rarity.

"Fluttershy, really, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Sex is a perfectly natural part of a pony's life. How else do you expect to raise little fillies or colts of your own? You do want children someday, don't you?"

"Maybe someday…" Fluttershy said. "But I don't want them now, and yet I still want sex."

"Well, dear, we are at that age," Rarity said. "Our hormones are fired up, but we aren't ready to settle down and devote our lives to our families yet. I think it's healthy for everypony to explore themselves and find out what they want in a stallion."

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "I guess that makes sense…but it still makes me feel bad."

"I think that's something to think about," Rarity said with a weak smile, wishing she could be more of a help. "I wish I understood how you felt, dear, but I really don't know what it's like. I suppose you might have to find somepony else to help you sort your feelings out."

"Oh my, I don't know if I can talk to anypony else about it."

"You've been open with me, darling," Rarity said.

"Well…you are my best friend," Fluttershy said. Rarity beamed.

"That's very sweet of you Fluttershy. The feeling is mutual, of course. But you might be able to talk to some of our other friends."

"Like who?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are not ones to be ashamed of their feelings, and I cannot really picture Applejack getting too worked up, either. I would suppose Twilight is your best bet. I mean, she never even had _friends_ until she moved to Ponyville, so I imagine her sexual feelings had her confused as well."

"That makes sense," Fluttershy said. "I guess I'll try that sometime. Thanks, Rarity."

"It's my pleasure, dear," Rarity said.

Applejack had elected to plow the fields, even though Big Macintosh had insisted he do it. He had said that the sun was much too hot, and that he was much sturdier than Applejack was, but Applejack had put her hoof down in a way that always made Big Macintosh give in. The fact of the matter was that Applejack was feeling quite restless and needed the physical exertion to release a tension that had been building inside her ever since…

_Ever since when?_

Something about last night had stirred something potent inside her, something that she realized had been slowly stewing for a very long time. It felt like water, after it had been simmering for a while on the burner, had begun to boil. The frothy bubbles seemed an apt metaphor to describe Applejack's stomach right about now. There was something funny going on with her, and she needed the time to figure it out.

Luckily, plowing was brain-dead work, although it was also physically exhausting. This allowed Applejack's mind to wander freely, a sort of free association processing of her feelings. _At least that's what Twilight would call it…_

The name Twilight struck her for some reason. What about that name was so striking? Had it been something she said, something she did? _Think, Applejack, think…_

_The Truth or Dare game._

Of course. It seemed obvious to her now as soon as she realized it. Twilight had answered Rarity's question about kissing a stallion. _But, wait, that really wasn't that big of a deal. I've read stuff saucier than that. Hell, Rarity's question was really…_

_ RARITY!_

A jolt of energy surged through Applejack, the adrenaline pulsing as a reaction to a sudden epiphany. That water was really starting to froth now, and the memory of last night's intimate make-out session charged Applejack with a burning feeling in the pit of her loins that shocked her to her core.

_Hooey, that's powerful stuff. Ah can't remember feelin' that worked up about anything in mah life…but why Rarity? Ah don't even like her that way._

Applejack then recalled her anecdote about Lucky. _Lucky, the only other pony ah've ever kissed._ She had been exaggerating when she had told Rainbow Dash she'd kissed many a stallion, not to lie intentionally but as a reaction to the heat of the discussion they had been having. Applejack returned her focus to Lucky, trying to recall what exactly she had felt kissing him. _Wasted out of mah mind, fer one thing. Ah'm surprised ah even remember doin' it. It was…interesting, being mah first time an' all, but other than that…_ Applejack then recalled Rarity's description of kissing her, and it seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

Then a wave of horror coursed through her. What had Rarity said? That she _wasn't into mares_.

_Does this mean ah'm not into stallions?_

Applejack, being far too busy on the farm, had never really noticed her pubescent desires as they had begun to surface not far after she had received her cutie mark. They had been vague at best, especially since she was mostly removed from anypony outside of her family for most of the time she worked the fields. Now that she was paying attention to it, however, it seemed more and more obvious to her just exactly which sex of pony she craved…

A wave of shame hit her as she thought of her family. Grannie Smith had not been shy to bear her disdain for the "alternative lifestyles" of homosexuals. And, though nopony else had explicitly stated it, their calm demeanor and nonchalant attitude to the comments seemed to Applejack proof that they agreed with her. Applejack, horrified, imagined telling her family that she was…a filly fooler. She shuddered at the imaginary grimace on Grannie Smith's face, the disappointed shaking of Big Macintosh's head, the confused expression upon Applebloom's countenance. Trying to explain to Applebloom what it meant to be a filly fooler seemed unbearable to Applejack.

_It can't be this way…can it?_ Unsure what to think of herself, Applejack continued her plowing, her troubled mind far more aching than her muscles as she dragged the plow through the hard, dry soil.

Twilight was spending the afternoon studying famous friendships of the past. She was in the middle of reading about the controversial political alliance of Winston Churchoof and Joseph Stallion when Spike walked into her bedroom.

"So…whatcha reading, Twilight?" Spike asked, his tone giving away any pretensions of his interest in pony history.

"For the last time, I'm not going to recap the sleepover for you," Twilight said, not even bothering to glance up from her book.

"Oh, why?" Spike asked. "I'm so curious about it…"

"Spike," Twilight said, actually looking at him this time, "if I were going to tell you about the sleepover, would it have made any sense for me not to invite you?"

"But that's just it, Twilight! You not inviting me made me think that you ponies were gonna _do_ things…"

"What _things_?" Twilight asked, mocking Spike's vague language.

"You know…things that might scar the mind of an impressionable young dragon."

"I told you to stop reading my books on psychology," Twilight said.

"But I think I might be sexually repressed, Twilight!"

"Excuse me?" Twilight said, so shocked by Spike's bold proposition that she accidentally closed the book. "Ugh, look what you did, Spike! You made me lose my spot."

"But according to The Growth and Development of Dragons, I'm reaching that age when I should be interested in female dragons!"

"Spike, you don't _know_ any female dragons."

"That's just it, Twilight. How can I be interested in dragons I've never seen before? So I looked through some pictures of young, female dragons and tried to imagine―"

"Stop right there," Twilight said, thrusting her hoof out to accentuate the interruption. "Where did you find pictures of female dragons?"

"The same book, duh," Spike said. "Anyway, I tried to imagine, you know…_doing_ things with them, but I couldn't do it. The only, well…_animal_ that I could begin to picture was…well…um…"

"Rarity?" Twilight suggested.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said anything about Rarity?" Spike countered, though his rouge cheeks gave him away.

"It's not like it wasn't obvious from the start," Twilight said.

"But isn't that weird, Twilight? I mean, I'm not supposed to be interested in ponies, but here I am, imagining myself with Rarity on the beach watching the sunset, and her sighing and relaxing before turning to me and giving me a look like she could just ―"

"Okay, okay, I get the picture, Spike. But what does this have to do with the slumber…?" Twilight then remembered Rarity and Applejack.

"Oh no," she said, "you're not finding out if Rarity did anything dirty. Your mind doesn't need that kind of stimulation."

"So she _did_ do something dirty," Spike inferred. "Ooh, what was it?"

"Spike, didn't you _just_ hear me say I wasn't going to tell you?"

"But I want to know," Spike whined, crossing his arms and looking like a grouchy baby.

"Spike, maybe I should send you to meet some nice girl dragons around your own age. Do you want me to write Princess Celestia and ask if you can be sent to a colony for a little while?"

"Oh, so just like that, you've got no problem sending me away again?" Spike asked. "Thanks a lot."

"Spike, you know I love you and I would miss you terribly," Twilight said, patting her dragon on the head. "But I think I'm starting to realize what it's meant for you to grow up surrounded by ponies. You're confused about all the wrong things. Hormones are confusing enough normally, let's not add interspecies relationships into the mix."

"I suppose you've got a point there…" Spike said.

"Then it's settled. I'll write Princess Celestia and ask her what to do."

"Fine…" Spike said. He hopped down from the bed and started to leave the room. Something about his dejection pained Twilight, and she wanted to see him smile again.

_But I _just said _I didn't want to give him any kind of stimulation. Still, maybe a little wouldn't hurt…_

"Hey, Spike," Twilight said, "don't forget that Rarity likes to take long, hot showers…"

"Huh?" Spike asked, a little too naïve to understand the connotation.

"Well, let's just say that when ponies take long, hot showers, they tend to get a little dirty while they're getting themselves clean…" Spike pondered this for a moment, then smiled, walking away with a noticeably bouncier stride. Twilight chuckled and returned to her book, struggling to find the page where she had left off.


	4. Sometimes I Want to Be Punished

**Chapter 4: Sometimes I Want to Be Punished**

Twilight was in the middle of writing the letter to Princess Celestia about Spike being sent away when she heard a knocking at the door. It was just as well, as Twilight was having difficulty explaining Spike's situation in the letter. _I might as well take a break._ She opened the door and saw a very anxious Fluttershy standing at the threshold.

"Fluttershy, what a surprise!" Twilight said. "You usually don't stop by unannounced."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Fluttershy sputtered, "is this a bad time?"

"Not at all!" Twilight said. "Make yourself at home." Fluttershy trotted in and awkwardly sat down in a spare cushion on the floor. She kept glancing around the library, looking at the titles of books, and her right foreleg was twitching nervously. Twilight was used to Fluttershy's discomfort, but this was a bit much even for her.

"Is something bothering you?" Twilight asked, taking a seat across from Fluttershy.

"No. Well, yes, a little bit, but it's…I don't know…" Fluttershy let out a small squeak. Twilight couldn't help but smile.

"It looks like something's up," Twilight said. "You know that it's okay to tell me anything. I'm here for you whenever you need help."

"Thanks, Twilight, I appreciate it," Fluttershy said, "but this is a very, um…personal problem…" Twilight was starting to feel concerned for her friend.

"How personal…?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy sighed.

"Well, I was talking to Rarity the other day about…" Fluttershy muttered something that Twilight couldn't hear, recalling the first time she had introduced herself. Fluttershy huffed with impatience; she knew that it had been far easier to explain this to Rarity, who had impeccable tact. She was also aware that she had known Twilight for much less time.

"About what, Fluttershy?" Twilight probed.

_This was so much easier with alcohol…_ Fluttershy thought. True, she hadn't had that much at the slumber party, but it had helped her inhibitions and she was a bit of a lightweight.

"Fluttershy, I'm really starting to worry here…" Twilight said.

"Oh, this is stupid," Fluttershy said. "I was talking to Rarity about sex and how I'm so uncomfortable with my own desires. She suggested that I go to you."

"Really? Why me?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy wavered; this wasn't the reaction for which she had been hoping.

"Well…" Fluttershy stalled. _How did Rarity word it?_ "Rarity said that, um, the others were more comfortable with their feelings but…well, thought that with your reluctance to make friends that you'd feel…less comfortable, and might be able to understand how I'm feeling."

"Oh," Twilight said, not sure if she should be flattered or miffed at Rarity's suggestion. "Well, on an analytical level, I knew my feelings were perfectly natural, but something about them made me feel…I don't know…wrong."

"Like you were a _bad_ pony?" Fluttershy asked.

"Sort of…" Twilight said, "like I really shouldn't be enjoying myself as much as I was."

"Oh," Fluttershy said, slowly realizing it was becoming easier to talk to Twilight. "Sometimes, when I finish, you know…clopping, I feel like I should be punished."

"Why would you want to be punished, Fluttershy?"

"Well, some ponies think sex is a sin, you know, and they think it's wrong to make yourself feel that way, that it should only come after marriage."

"Yeah, I see what you mean, but why worry about what everypony else thinks? It's your body; you should be able to use it how you see fit."

"See, at some level I know that," Fluttershy said, "but on a deeper level I feel really wrong about the whole thing. Sometimes I imagine myself getting caught and being punished by somepony else."

"Oh," Twilight said, honestly unable to relate to such imaginings. "That's never really occurred to me before. I've always felt a little wrong, but I usually just shrug it off." Fluttershy sighed. _Will nopony understand how I feel?_

"I shouldn't have brought it up…" Fluttershy said, trying to make herself smaller by withdrawing her legs.

"No, it's fine," Twilight said. "Some ponies just feel that way sometimes."

"I was hoping you'd understand," Fluttershy said.

"Fluttershy, I don't know exactly how you feel, but that doesn't really matter. Talking things out always helps resolve problems. Remember how you got caught up in modeling and didn't learn till later that Rarity wanted you to quit? If you had talked things out, you could have avoided a lot of trouble."

"That's true…" Fluttershy said.

"So whatever you're feeling, you don't have to worry about my ability to understand. Just let it out in the open and we can see if we can figure out your problem."

"All right," Fluttershy said, her stomach appropriately fluttering for some indiscernible reason. "Well, it's not _just_ the fact that I imagine being punished for being a bad pony…"

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy leaned closer. Twilight took the cue and leaned towards Fluttershy, placing her ear near her mouth. Fluttershy then spoke in the softest audible whisper.

"_Sometimes I want to be punished._" Fluttershy drew away, giddy and embarrassed for revealing something she hadn't even been truly aware of herself. Twilight unwillingly flushed at the revelation, but she remained undeterred.

"You must think I'm really weird…" Fluttershy said, misinterpreting Twilight's reaction. "I mean, what pony in their right mind _wants_ to be punished?"

"Fluttershy, it's okay!" Twilight said, relief washing over her as her intellect took over. "I actually have a book about that." Twilight used her horn to levitate a book off of a shelf that was otherwise out of reach. Once it landed at Fluttershy's hooves, Fluttershy read the title of the book out loud.

"Pleasure in Pain: Understanding the Concepts of BDSM," Fluttershy said. "What's BDSM?" she asked Twilight.

"It stands for a few things," Twilight said. "It's an amalgamation of three abbreviations. BD refers to bondage and discipline, DS is dominance and submission, and SM is sadism and masochism." Fluttershy stared blankly at Twilight, conveying that her explanation had only confused her more. Twilight chuckled.

"Let me elaborate further," she said. "Bondage and discipline are when ponies allow themselves to be restrained or 'punished' for certain 'behaviors.' Sometimes a pony will allow her legs to be tied up, restricting her movements."

"Oh my…" Fluttershy said, imagining herself in that position and shivering with a nervous excitement that terrified her.

"Dominance and submission are when one pony establishes control over another. Fluttershy, forgive me, but I would say you would be submissive."

"Probably," Fluttershy said, still thinking about ropes constricting her to a bed.

"And then sadism and masochism refer to sexual desires to give and receive pain, respectively."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked, imagining a stallion lording over her with a whip before snapping herself out of it.

"So read it in your spare time," Twilight said, "and see if it helps explains some of your thoughts. There's nothing wrong with you, Fluttershy. Some ponies just like things like this."

"Thanks, Twilight. I certainly will read it when I can."

"No worries, Fluttershy," Twilight said. "I have to get back to writing this letter."

"Oh, okay," Fluttershy said cheerily. "Um…can I borrow something to carry this in? Only I don't want to be seen carrying it around…"

"Oh, of course, Fluttershy! You can borrow one of my saddle packs." Twilight levitated a saddle pack to Fluttershy, who put the book inside of it and placed the pack on her back.

"Thanks, Twilight! See you later!"

"Bye!" Twilight called as Fluttershy headed for the door, looking decidedly less nervous than she had when she entered.

Applejack, true to her word as always, had remained quite busy on the farm today. She had finished the plowing now and was watching the sun set over the rolling pastures of the apple orchard, a sight she always made a point to see at the end of each day. The evening breeze played beautifully in her mane and cooled her as she chewed on some wheat. Were it not for the mosquitos, she would have considered lying under the stars and sleeping outside tonight.

Thinking about the work she needed to do tomorrow, Applejack saw a rainbow-colored streak soar past, and she suddenly remembered something she needed to ask her.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack cried at the top of her lungs, the wheat dropping into the grass. The streak stopped short before approaching the ground where Applejack reclined. Soon the features of the mare producing the streak became clearer, and Rainbow Dash finally touched down next to Applejack, rustling her wings.

"What's up, AJ?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I'm sorry fer interruptin' ya, RD. Ya looked like you were in a hurry. But ah forgot to ask ya if the rain was gonna pass by Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow."

"Applejack, I already told you too much about that," Rainbow Dash said. "If I were to tell you to expect rain tomorrow, and my boss were to find out, I could be in a lot of trouble." Rainbow Dash winked at Applejack, who got the message.

"Ah won't ask then, RD. Sorry fer troublin' ya."

"No problem. I was just on my way home, anyway, and I figured I'd scout out my route tomorrow. What were you up to?"

"Just doin' my daily ritual of watchin' the sunset. Care to join me for a spell?"

"Um…sure!" Rainbow Dash said, and she lied down next to Applejack facing the setting sun. The golden rays of light made the trees look austere, almost regal. Above the sun, glimpses of the night sky were beginning to form like ribbons around the sun's perimeter.

"Gosh," Applejack said, "Celestia can sure work her magic, can't she?"

"You bet," Rainbow Dash said. Something about this moment, lying next to Applejack, made her squirm. This scared her a little bit, but she was so relaxed right now that she decided to ignore it.

"Still bothered 'bout that thing you won't tell me about?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, well…yeah," Rainbow Dash said.

"Me too," Applejack said. "I was plowin' the fields all afternoon, and that's dead borin', so mah mind had all kinds of time to think about mah troubles."

"I hear you," Rainbow Dash said.

"Say, RD, have ya ever done somethin' yer family wasn't too proud of?"

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, jarred by the sudden shift in conversation.

"Ah mean did ya ever git in trouble fer somethin' ya did that disappointed 'em?"

_You have no idea…_ Rainbow Dash thought to herself, but she had rarely discussed her family with anyone except Fluttershy and she felt uncomfortable starting to divulge her complicated home life.

"I suppose so," Rainbow Dash said.

"How did ya work it out?" Applejack asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"Um, well…I didn't," Rainbow Dash conceded, realizing her hesitation had given it away anyway.

"Oh," Applejack said, looking outright dejected. "That's too bad…"

"Whatever, it's in the past now," Rainbow Dash said in an attempt to shrug it off. "Why do you ask? Did you do something wrong?"

"Well…not _exactly_…" Applejack said.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

_It's not what ah've done, RD, but part of who ah am that might be the problem…_

"Ah mean that ah haven't really done anythin' wrong, but well…in case ah do, ah was just wonderin' how to work it out."

"Are you thinking about doing something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Applejack squirmed. This was becoming more and more awkward by the second.

"No…" she finally said.

"Then what made you ask?"

"Um…well, the summer harvest is always a bit stressful fer the Apple Family, and we're bound to get at each other's throats every once in a while."

"Yeah, but it usually gets better, doesn't it?"

"Ah reckon so. But this year's been an awful slow season fer us, so we're already worked up as it is…"

"I had no idea, Applejack. I'm sorry."

"Weren't your fault, Rainbow Dash. Just…some more rain in the middle of April woulda been nice. That drought did a number on our tomato plants."

"Hey, I don't make the forecasts, I just carry them out."

"Well…thanks anyway, RD."

"For what? I didn't answer your question."

"Nah, but it's fine. Ah reckon ah should get some shut-eye. Sounds like ah've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"All right then. See you later, AJ." Rainbow Dash took off, puzzled by her friend's unusual query. Applejack started trotting back to the farmhouse, desperate to understand what had her so worked up.

Fluttershy was trotting home, Twilight's book in tow, when all of a sudden Pinkie Pie, who was bounding about recklessly, crashed into her. While dusting themselves off, Fluttershy realized that the saddle pack had fallen off of her back, which meant that―

"Ooh, what's this?" Pinkie Pie asked, pointing at the book that was lying cover-down in the dirt. Fluttershy panicked, but was too slow to object as Pinkie Pie swiped the book off of the ground and looked at the title. Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp. Fluttershy was grateful that nopony else was outside to overhear them.

"Did you borrow this from Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Um…not really," Fluttershy lied. "I mean, I checked it out for a friend who was too embarrassed to ask for it."

"Really? Who?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Fluttershy mumbled softly, but then decided that thinking up a name was childish. She was a mare, after all, and she thought it rather foalish to be so embarrassed.

"Just kidding, it's for me…" Fluttershy said. A second gasp from Pinkie Pie made Fluttershy cringe.

"Wow, Fluttershy, I didn't know _you_ were interested in naughty pony playtime, too!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Naughty…" Fluttershy mused, but then snapped to understanding. "What do you mean, 'too'?"

"Well, it's kinda always been a fantasy of mine to get a little…rowdy…when I'm with somepony else."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked, confused.

"Yeah, silly! Pinkie doesn't mind a little rough-and-tumble action! It makes it more…I don't know, exciting!"

"I guess so," Fluttershy said, growing ever more embarrassed as the conversation continued.

"Why don't you come on up to my apartment?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I'm off today, and I want to read about this with you."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea…" Fluttershy muttered. Pinkie Pie realized the awkward nature of the suggestion.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I don't want to embarrass you. It's just…I don't know, I've always had these super-secret thoughts and I always thought there was something wrong with me for having them so I didn't tell anypony about them but then I saw that you had that book which I didn't even know existed up until now and that made me realize that it's okay to have these thoughts because one of my best friends has them, too, and I guess I got carried away because I wanted to share that with you because everything's better with friends but sometimes that's not always true and I'm sorry I probably shouldn't have even said anything I mean look at you you're blushing so much right now and―"

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy said, her voice louder than normal, which brought Pinkie Pie's yammering to a sudden stop. "I always thought it was wrong, too, but I talked to Twilight about it and she said it was okay…"

"Twilight's such a nice pony!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "She doesn't judge anypony. I wish everypony else could be more like her."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well…some ponies would probably think what you're reading is bad! But those ponies don't know any better."

"I guess you're right…" Fluttershy said. There was some silence between the two friends.

"Well, I guess I'd better let you go home and start reading. Here," Pinkie Pie said, placing the book back in the saddle pack and kindly putting the pack back on Fluttershy's back.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said. "I'm so happy you understand."

"No problem, Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie said, bounding away as energetic as she had been before. Fluttershy spent the rest of the trip home being careful where she trotted.

Perhaps it was the summer heat. Perhaps it was a result of the slumber party. Perhaps it was this stallion's positively _rippling_ thighs. But as Rarity took the measurements of her client, she kept catching her mind drifting to some titillating thoughts about what this stallion could do to her, nay, what she would _beg_ him to do to her.

_This isn't proper, Rarity!_ she scolded herself. _Stop it this instant! You're a consummate professional, this is strictly business. Oh, dear Celestia, look at that dock…_ Rarity measured the stallion's backside with utmost precision, mostly to extend the amount of time she could spend with her hooves so close to it. Reluctantly, she moved to the stallion's croup, cursing herself again. The stallion just stood there politely, noticing the slight flush in Rarity's cheeks but tactfully staying mute about it.

"Well, I've taken down all the measurements," Rarity said, turning away from the stallion, as she feared talking directly to him would be too difficult. "I believe I can have your tuxedo ready by the end of the week. I can usually turn it around much faster but I'm in the middle of a massive order that's due in two days, and I'm afraid I won't be able to get started on your order until I've finished that up."

"That's quite all right, Rarity," the stallion said, and the soothing sound of his baritone voice made Rarity tremble.

"All right, I shall expect payment upon receipt of the tuxedo. You may stop by to pick it up on Friday after three o'clock."

"Three o'clock, got it," the stallion said. "Thank you kindly, Rarity. I'm sure it'll look stunning."

"Oh, there's no need for flattery, my dear. I'm only doing my job."

_Oh my God he said my design will be stunning he must think so highly of me oh I would gladly except other forms of payment―_ Rarity caught her thoughts flying away from her and giggled softly before showing the gentlecolt the door. She returned to her massive order, stitching together a dress for one of the Canterlot ponies for a prestigious party. Rarity had so much practice as a seamstress that the work was second-nature to her now, and her idle mind kept wandering back to that hunk of a stallion.

_Oh, Rarity, this is positively unladylike! Having desires is one thing, but letting yourself get carried away like this is disgraceful. Still, it has been a while since I…oh, what am I thinking! I'm in the middle of a very important order and I even stop to consider clopping. But good lord did he have gorgeous thighs…_ Rarity let out a groan of frustration.

"What's wrong, big sis?" Sweetie Belle said, unknowingly having picked the most inopportune time to trot past Rarity's workroom. She usually wasn't in the store, but their parents were vacationing for the rest of the week and had left her in Rarity's charge.

"Nothing, dear, the fabric just got caught in the needle."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle said. "Hey, that last customer you had coming in here was real handsome, don't you think?" Rarity froze, panic settling in even when she knew there was no reason for it.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle, I look at a customer and all I see are his individual body parts. I think of them merely as the vehicles for my clothes, nothing more." Sweetie Belle gave her sister a skeptical look. Rarity swallowed nervously.

"And I thought _I_ was uncomfortable about noticing boys…" she said.

"Sweetie Belle, really, you don't have to be so brash."

"And you don't have to be so wound up all the time, big sis! I saw the way you were looking at him. I know you liked him. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Rarity shook her head in disbelief. Was she really being lectured by her _little sister_?

"I am not wound up, I did not like that stallion, and you shouldn't be peeping at my customers while I'm taking their measurements. It might make them feel uncomfortable." Sweetie Belle was put off by Rarity's tone and took a turn for the nasty.

"Well, not _nearly_ as uncomfortable as if he saw you trying to look at his penis while measuring his inseam…" Rarity let out an offended huff.

"I will not tolerate such vulgarities! You are still only a filly. Why, I have half a mind to wash your mouth out with soap."

"Oh come _on_, Rarity, I was just kidding. You really do need to lighten up…" Sweetie Belle trotted away, smirking. Though they got along far better than they used to, Sweetie Belle still took a little sadistic enjoyment at aggravating her big sister. Flustered, Rarity found it more and more difficult to concentrate on her work. Finally, she gave up and decided to give in to her needs briefly, hoping to clear them away so she could focus better on her work.

Using her magic, she shut and locked the door and closed the blinds before sprawling out in a rather undignified position and lowering her hoof to her groin. She closed her eyes and imagined her customer picking up his tuxedo, flustered at having forgotten his money. She pictured him lamenting his mistake and wondering if there was some other method of payment he could offer.

_Well, there is _one _thing you could do…_

He was upon her, hooves firmly planted on her thighs, thrusting into her rump as his penis penetrated her vagina and rubbed up against her clitoris. Though she didn't know the feeling, Rarity imagined the delightful sensation stimulating her clitoris as she rubbed it with her hoof. As she became more and more heated, she began to stroke her horn with her other hoof and it started to glow as it responded to her touch. Rarity gasped as her strokes became more fervent. Her strokes became gasps and her gasps outright moans as she felt herself close to climaxing. When she imagined her customer crouched beneath her, licking her clitoris, she was hit by a wave of ecstasy and felt her hoof become slightly damp with her fluids.

Rarity lay on the floor, cooling off from her climax, and her ecstasy was drowned by a wave of shame. She was usually so composed, so dignified. Rarely if ever had she imagined becoming intimate with any stallion, and she couldn't understand why she was so heated. She thought back to kissing Applejack and realized that ordinarily she would never consent to try anything so raunchy. But this heat, this inexplicable heat inside her had developed a craving that was becoming more and more difficult to feed on her own.

Rarity finally rose and levitated over some tissues to clean herself up. The self-treatment had been pleasant, to be sure, but she felt herself strongly desiring for somepony else to touch her that way. She returned to her work in dismay, fearing that that pony would never come.

Twilight, having finished her letter to Celestia, was casually reading a sultry novel about the love affair of a prince with a commoner. She usually wouldn't be caught dead reading such literary trash, but for the time being she wanted to shut off her mind. As she lay on the bed levitating the book above her, she imagined taking the role of the mare in the novel, wooing the handsome prince with her good looks and clever flirtation.

Twilight had a hand mirror on her nightstand. She levitated it next to the book and took a look at her face. She sighed, noting the bags under her eyes that indicated she wasn't getting enough sleep. She thought they made her face look droopy. She was also critical of her mane, which in her opinion was much too straight. She wished she could have Rarity's mane with its elegant swoops. She wouldn't even mind sharing the rest of Rarity's body features. Twilight mused about her friend and remarked to herself that she was quite attractive. Twilight looked at her face and sighed.

An idea struck her, and Twilight cast a spell to reposition her mane to look like Rarity's. She remembered the time when her mane had commonly formed the same shape, and Spike's reaction to it. She chuckled, thinking that she had caught the eye of _someone_, only to grimace at the thought that it was her assistant dragon.

Across the room, Owloysius hooted at Twilight. She glanced over at the owl and sighed.

"Do you think I'm ugly, Owloysius?" she asked. The owl, with its uncanny ability to understand conversation, shook his head emphatically.

"Well, how come nopony notices me?" Twilight asked. Owloysius hooted, pointing his wing at the shelf of books. Twilight stared at the bookshelf confused, but then realized the message.

"I suppose I do read a lot," Twilight said. "It's just that for so long I lived my life without friends, and I guess I'm still not used to socializing."

"Who are you talking to?" Spike asked, suddenly coming into the room. Spike looked around and noticed the owl on his perch.

"Oh, it's just you, Owloysius," Spike said. "Wait, Twilight, why are you talking to an _owl_?"

"It's nothing, Spike," Twilight said.

"And why does your mane look like…?" Spike started to ask, but as he stared at the shape in a trance he lost his train of speech. Twilight laughed and cast a spell to return her mane to its normal shape. Spike snapped out of his trance.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"It's fine," Twilight said, chuckling still. "Hey, Spike, you think Rarity's attractive, right?"

Spike gave her a deadpan stare. "You're seriously asking me that?"

"Right, never mind," Twilight said. "Well, how come…? Oh, forget it."

"Forget what, Twilight?" Spike asked, concerned about his friend.

"It's nothing, Spike," Twilight said.

"Uh-huh, sure," Spike said, walking over to the bed and jumping on next to Twilight.

"Whatcha reading?" Spike saw the cover of the book and snickered. The title was A Royal Affair.

"Are you serious, Twilight? Why are you reading that smut?" Spike asked.

"Oh, can't you just leave me alone, Spike?" Twilight huffed, now becoming impatient.

"Well, something's clearly bothering you, and as your faithful assistant, I won't let you face your troubles alone. Is it about Rarity?"

"Yes, well…no, not really, it's just…she's so much prettier than me and I guess I'm jealous. I see the stallions give her a second glance as they pass by and I want a stallion to look at _me_ that way and it never happens." Spike shook his head, realizing the triviality of Twilight's problem and correcting her.

"Twilight, you don't see it because the stallions only look at you after you've passed them. Are you really that oblivious?"

"Have you been reading my dictionary again?" Twilight asked, sneering.

"Presumably," Spike answered. "My point is, even though you don't attract the same attention that Rarity does―and come on, who are we kidding, she's _gorgeous_―most stallions don't find you hideous, either."

"Well, I wish one of them would say something…"

"Twilight, think about it. You're the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria! You saved the world from Nightmare Moon _and_ Discord! You're Princess Celestia's favorite student! It takes guts for the other ponies in Ponyville to even say hi to you!"

"You really think so?" Twilight asked, considering her position for the first time.

"Well, duh! Come on, Twilight, do you really think you're ugly? I mean, you're no Rarity, but you certainly aren't Derpy Hooves."

"Don't say that about Derpy, Spike. Somepony could take it the wrong way."

"That's not the point. The point is you need to consider why you think you're so unattractive! Don't you see?" Twilight thought about this. True, logically she would be a prime catch for any stallion. But inside her heart she just could not bring herself to say so with strong conviction.

"I just don't know, Spike…" she said, smiling sheepishly. Spike put his face in his hand and shook his head.

"Well, I can't make you believe anything, Twilight. You'll just have to see for yourself." With that, Spike leapt off the bed and left Twilight alone. Twilight, though touched by Spike's attempt to help, could not accept what he was saying as true and could not understand why. She returned to her book and tried to push her troubles out of her mind.


	5. Deep into My Marehood

**Chapter 5: Deep into My Marehood**

Fluttershy had only had the book for a day, but she was already halfway done with it, even with the chores and animals to which she had to attend. She had lost sleep over the chapter discussing role play, and had been enthralled, in particular, at the part of the submissive pony. Heavy bondage, she soon discovered, was not her cup of tea, as she felt uncomfortable at the thought of being gagged, but that image of her being tied up still lingered. And surrendering herself to a dominant stallion proved an intriguing thought, while even a small bit of pain and punishment excited her for reasons she could not ascertain.

Most of all, though, a desire to experiment rose within her when she read about specific forms of discipline. Fluttershy lamented the lack of stallions who she thought were attracted to her, let alone the overwhelming fear of admitting to any of them her private fantasies. Fluttershy, normally uncomfortable in even the most mundane social situations, felt paralyzed at the mere thought of talking to some stallion about all of this.

Out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie's unusual invitation to her apartment replayed itself in her head. There would be no need for an awkward reveal, Pinkie Pie had said herself that a little pain made things more exciting, and there had been the willingness to kiss Rainbow Dash's…

_Fluttershy, what are you thinking?_ she scolded herself. _You don't even like mares…_

But as she thought about it more, she realized that attraction and romance had nothing to do with what she wanted. She wanted the _punishment_, the pain associated with being a bad pony, and she wanted the thrill of utter powerlessness, no matter which pony dominated her. Still, it seemed a crazy prospect to even consider asking Pinkie Pie for…sexual favors.

Fluttershy shook this out of her head and returned to her book. She came upon a section concerning the submissive pony being blindfolded, and Fluttershy was instantly reminded of Pin the Tail on the Pony, one of Pinkie Pie's favorite party games. She imagined that Pinkie Pie would pin Fluttershy with something quite different…

Fluttershy groaned, trying once again to force the illicit thought out of her mind. However, she couldn't help imagining Pinkie Pie looming over her, ready to ravish Fluttershy in any way she chose, while Fluttershy laid on a bed blindfolded with no clue what to expect from the unpredictable pony. Fluttershy flushed with embarrassment at the mere thought.

She wasn't attracted to mares, she told herself, and it was true. What attracted her to Pinkie Pie was her erratic behavior. _Anything_ could happen with Pinkie Pie involved, and Fluttershy's powerlessness to predict her actions intensified in her the sexuality of her submissive position.

_Oh, but what a strange thing to ask. How would I even go about it? Wait, Fluttershy, are you _seriously _considering this. Snap out of it!_ Fluttershy groaned again and buried her head in the pillow, blushing and utterly ashamed of her own thoughts. She wondered if anypony could help her control her urges. As she lay in her bed she must have drifted off, because suddenly she was in a dream, and Pinkie Pie had a whip and a wild look in her eye. Crack went the whip as it lashed at Fluttershy's back, and with the sharp pain came a spike of arousal. The whip cracked a few more times, but then Pinkie Pie's demeanor calmed and she started gently kissing the wounds. Although the touch of her lips stung the welts, Fluttershy lost herself in the excitement of Pinkie Pie's touch.

Fluttershy woke up in a cold sweat, in disbelief of the images her mind had conjured for her. She saw the book lying on the foot of her bed and angrily shoved it away from her before sighing.

_What am I going to do…?_

Rainbow Dash was also lying awake in her cloudy bed, grappling with her most recent interaction with Applejack. Watching the sunset...it was just so _romantic_. And Applejack _did_ seem to have their discussion in Twilight's bathroom in her mind, as if it dominated her thoughts. And by Celestia if that massage hadn't been intentionally sensual…

But what bothered Rainbow Dash was how traditional Applejack's family was. She could have sworn she heard Grannie Smith mutter the word "dyke" once at a dinner, slipping from the archaic tongue out of old habit. If Applejack's family felt that way about gay ponies, then it was pretty unlikely that Applejack leaned that way.

_Have you ever done somethin' yer family wasn't too proud of?_

It hit Rainbow Dash like a ton of bricks. Why would Applejack ask that if she wasn't considering something that went against her family's values? What if that very thing she was considering was her own sexuality, and the trouble would come from the family's poor reaction to it? Realization thundered in Rainbow Dash's heart, as she was absolutely convinced that Applejack was a filly fooler.

_And if AJ is attracted to mares, there might be a chance that…_

The prospect was too much to pass up. Heart aflutter, Rainbow Dash rocketed out of her bedroom window and down towards Sweet Apple Acres before suddenly stopping short. It was late, and besides, what if she was wrong about Applejack? How was she going to ask her if she was a filly fooler? How awkward would it be if she said no?

She then remembered that massage, and the potential for more intimate moments like that consumed Rainbow Dash's doubts and drove her towards the farm. She slowed down as she approached the farmhouse and floated softly to Applejack's bedroom window. She carefully tapped on the glass, knowing all too well that Applebloom's room was but ten feet away. Rainbow Dash peered through the window and saw Applejack, who was wearing her mane down, stir awake groggily. Applejack looked out the window and nearly jumped out of her bed. Looking around to make sure no one had heard her, she trotted to the window and opened it angrily. Rainbow Dash was not pleased with Applejack's manner of approaching her.

"Do you realize what time of night this is?" Applejack asked haughtily.

"I'm sorry, AJ, but it's urgent," Rainbow Dash pleaded.

"What is so important that it couldn't wait till mornin'?" Applejack asked, calming down from her surprise and anger when she saw the look of excitement on Rainbow Dash's face.

"It's just…can I come in?"

"Good lord, RD, you are somethin'…but fine," Applejack said, stepping back so Rainbow Dash could swoop in. Applejack shut the window and looked once more to make sure her family was still asleep.

"Now what is it?" Applejack asked.

"Well, I was thinking about what you said about that issue you were dealing with and how your family might not understand and I was just wondering…are you a filly fooler?"

"What?" Applejack asked, unsure if she heard Rainbow Dash correctly.

"_Filly fooler_," Rainbow Dash emphasized, "You know, lesbian, mare lover, cherry snacker―"

"Ah heard ya the first time, RD, and ah hardly reckon it's any of yer business." Applejack tried to maintain a steely disposition, but inside her heart was pounding. Rainbow Dash was put off by Applejack's bullish response, but a quiet part of her brain realized in triumph that it was a non-denial denial.

"What if I told you that I was?" Rainbow Dash asked, throwing all caution to the winds. Applejack was really put off guard now; she could barely answer without stammering.

"You're a w-w-what?" Applejack asked.

"A filly fooler, of course," Rainbow Dash said, feeling uncomfortable about stating it so plainly but firm in her resolve all the same.

"Well that might be a bit different," Applejack said, which made Rainbow Dash's excitement spike. "Ah suppose ah'd have to admit to it mahself."

"Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked, almost forgetting to contain her voice.

"Well, ah ain't proud of it, but ah reckon the cat's out of the bag now," Applejack said. "Is this what you were so worked up about?"

"Well, _duh_," Rainbow Dash said. "After all I had no idea you felt that way and it was really bothering me that I didn't know what was bothering you and―" Rainbow Dash's speech had been cut short by Applejack's own mouth, which had suddenly been planted onto hers. Surprised but elated, Rainbow Dash returned the kiss passionately, even daring to stick out her tongue. Applejack took it with relish, feeling it massage the inside of her mouth, tasting the pegasus' sweet saliva. When the kiss finally broke, the two of them looked at each other with new understanding.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? Ah'm awful tired and confused. Ah mean, ah'm grateful and all, but this is a lot to take in."

"Oh, of course," Rainbow Dash said, relieved that they didn't have to face the daunting conversation of how their relationship would progress until morning at least. "Goodnight, AJ."

"Goodnight, RD." Rainbow Dash opened the window and flew out. Applejack watched her fly away until she was indistinguishable from the stars before closing the window and returning to bed, her head buzzing with excitement and fear. It turns out that these emotions kept her from sleeping well. She tossed and turned thinking about Rainbow Dash, scolding herself for not resting for what would be a very important conversation.

_Why did ah just flat up kiss Rainbow Dash? Am ah nuts? What if she doesn't want to be in a relationship?_ Applejack almost teared up at the possibility.

_Oh, Applejack, stop bein' such a silly filly! You'll work this out with RD tomorrow. It's time to get some shut-eye!_ But it was in vain. As the sun rose in the morning, Applejack felt groggy, her eyelids heavy. She groaned and dreaded the conversation that was to come.

Twilight, however, had rested reasonably well after her conversation with Spike. Today he was going to leave for the dragon community, so Twilight used her magic to help him gather his belongings. The two of them ate a quiet breakfast and then waited outside the library. Curiously enough, Rarity trotted by and saw them standing at the threshold.

"Good morning Twilight, Spike," she said, approaching them. "Care to explain all the luggage?"

"Spike's going on a bit of a trip," Twilight said.

"Yeah, I'm going to be hanging out with a lot of other dragons," Spike said cheerily. "Oh, but I guess I'm gonna miss you…" he realized with sadness. Rarity felt for the poor dragon, who she knew was quite confused about his feelings for her.

"Oh, Spike, do cheer up. I would hate to see you sad just before embarking on this magnificent adventure."

"Yeah, Spike, remember when you joined the Great Dragon Migration?" Twilight asked. Spike nodded, feeling a little better about leaving Rarity now.

"Sure, Twilight, that was fun," Spike said. "Still, I don't know what's gonna happen when I start to meet girl dragons. What am I gonna say to them?"

"Spike, dearest, don't fret about such things," Rarity said. "Remember what Twilight learned about worrying about the future."

"Oh yeah, right…" Spike said, chuckling, but still looking forlorn. The chariot on which he would be riding then appeared in the sky, and the two unicorns and the dragon watched it touch down in the road.

"Good luck, Spike!" Twilight said as she levitated the luggage into the chariot for him.

"Thanks, Twilight," Spike said.

"Farewell, Spike," Rarity said, giving into her pity and kissing Spike on the cheek. Spike looked considerably happier as he climbed aboard the chariot and waved goodbye to his friends as it took off into the sky.

"Twilight, is it all right if I talked to you for a moment in private?" Rarity asked once Spike was out of their line of sight.

"Um…sure," Twilight said, wondering what could be so urgent. Judging by Rarity's demeanor, it was something serious.

"Oh, dear, where do I begin…?" Rarity said, pacing about the library floor. Beads of sweat started to trickle down her forehead, and she couldn't for the life of her imagine why. Twilight, watching this, felt her concern grow exponential at the sight of such a distraught pony.

"Rarity, what's going on?" Twilight asked, worried that something serious had happened.

"Well, it's…oh, this is so _stupid_. How childish of me!" Twilight now looked upon Rarity with great confusion. Rarity saw the expression on Twilight's face and started to laugh, but a groan quickly followed. Rarity placed her head in her hooves and dropped down to the floor.

"I'm so pathetic…" she sighed.

"Rarity, no, you're not," Twilight said firmly. "Get up right now." Rarity dutifully obeyed.

"This is ridiculous," Twilight said, calling upon her memories of Princess Celestia's firm, if rare, lectures. "You obviously came here for a reason, and what you have to tell me seems very important, but it will do you no good to be quiet about it now. Either you let me know what is going on, or I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Rarity flinched at Twilight's harsh tone. She had had no idea how deeply her voice could cut to the heart when necessity called.

"All right, Twilight, you're right. I'm in heat. There, I said it. I saw a customer today who was simply breathtaking. I almost couldn't stop myself from trying to measure his penis along with his other body parts. I had to muster all my inner discipline not to lock up the boutique, grab that wretchedly gorgeous stallion, and make him force his member deep into my marehood. Are you satisfied?" Rarity couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as that same relief washed over Twilight's entire body, instantly cooling her tone as she spoke.

"Thank Celestia. I thought it was something serious!" Twilight said. She started to laugh until she saw Rarity turn her head away in shame. Realizing Rarity had been offended, Twilight trotted over to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"I didn't mean that, Rarity, I'm sorry."

"No, you're right, Twilight. It's really quite foalish to be so embarrassed. Even Sweetie Belle was making fun of me, and she doesn't even have her cutie mark yet."

"Having siblings can be a challenge," Twilight said, thinking back to the torture she had endured from Shining Armor.

"Oh, but what am I going to _do_ about it, Twilight?" Rarity asked, the pain in her voice unmistakable. It was clear to Twilight that Rarity had strong desires that needed to be satiated by somepony else, but hadn't the heart to tell Rarity to essentially get herself fucked, especially since she was still a virgin.

"I'm not sure what you should do," Twilight answered, wishing she could be of greater help to her friend.

"Oh," Rarity said simply. "In that case, I should probably just leave…" Rarity slowly trotted toward the door. Twilight's mind was racing, and before seriously considering what she was doing she called for Rarity to stop.

"Hold on!" Rarity turned and looked at Twilight inquisitively.

"I…think I know what you're going through," Twilight said. "I've been…well, let's just say I've gotten myself into some trashy literature as of late, and it's got me feeling, well…hot under the bridle."

"Really?" Rarity asked. "Like you'd give anything for some stallion to fuck you silly?"

"Rarity, that's a little harsh," Twilight said.

"I realize that, dear. Normally I refrain from such vulgarities but in this situation it's the only word that will do. I don't want some stallion to 'make love' to me or to 'pleasure' me. I want to be _fucked_, hard and deep. I want to be _ravaged_."

"There's a word that fits you better," Twilight said. "_Ravaged_…"

"Yes, I want to be treated like a stallion's tool for pleasure, and I want to extract just as much ecstasy from him."

"I know what you mean!" Twilight said, growing excited at even the thought of it. The image of Big Macintosh suddenly struck her consciousness, and she blushed in spite of herself.

"Oh Twilight, I know it's wrong, but I just have this _need_ inside of me and it's begging to be satiated."

"I know…" Twilight said, still imagining Big Macintosh but feeling more comfortable with the fantasy.

"Shining Armor…" Rarity muttered under her breath, but Twilight still heard it.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"What? Nothing, dear," Rarity said, suddenly flustered.

"Were you just imagining being fucked by my _brother_?"

"Of course not!" Rarity objected. "I imagined you watching us, too."

"What?" Twilight screamed.

"Just kidding, my dear. You really do need to lighten up," Rarity said. "But yes, if you must know, I was thinking about your brother."

"Well, I'm not much better," Twilight admitted. "I was thinking about Applejack's." The two girls giggled, and suddenly the air in the room felt much warmer to them. Twilight looked into Rarity's eyes and felt her horn begin to tingle, which it only did involuntarily when she was―

_That doesn't even make sense!_

"So…yeah, I wish I could help you," Twilight said, hoping Rarity didn't notice anything odd.

"It's quite all right, dear. I guess I just needed somepony to talk to," Rarity said. The two looked at each other for a while longer. Twilight started to grow more and more uncomfortable but exuded every effort to keep from showing it.

"Well, thanks for listening, dear. Farewell," Rarity said, and she trotted out the door. Twilight let out a sigh of relief but, suddenly horrorstruck, decided to start sorting through her books.

"Come on, I know I have _something_ here…" she said to herself. As she glanced at the titles of books by levitating them to her with magic, she finally found the one for which she had been looking.

"Understanding the Sexuality of Unicorns!" Twilight cried. "This is it!" Grateful Spike wasn't here to question her choice of reading this time around, Twilight started flipping through the book's pages with a careless fervor she rarely used in the treatment of what she thought of as a sacred medium.

"Here it is!" Twilight said. "'Bisexuality: Sometimes, when two stallion or mare unicorns form a special bond of friendship, they can become attracted to each other despite a lifelong affinity for members of the opposite sex. This has commonly been denoted bisexuality, due to the attraction for two different sexes. Depending upon the closeness of the friendship, talking out such feelings can serve an effective tool for easing these sometimes troubling thoughts.' But how would I ever admit that to Rarity?" Twilight asked. "And how can this even exist? I like stallions! I have no attraction towards mares." But thinking of Rarity wasn't like thinking of, say, Trixie, Twilight soon realized. In fact, she suspected she had felt this way about Rarity for quite some time, but the subject of their latest conversation had only recently brought it into her consciousness.

Unsure about what to do, Twilight decided to distract her mind by returning to A Royal Affair. At least she could project herself into the character of the prince's lover, who, despite her rustic upbringing, carried herself with elegance and grace.

_Just like Rarity…_

Well, the morning had come, and Rainbow Dash hadn't been this nervous since the Young Flyer's competition. It was time to talk to Applejack about their relationship. Rainbow Dash arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack waiting for her outside her house.

"Let's take a walk," Applejack said. "Last thing ah need's mah sister overhearin' this conversation."

"Sure thing, AJ," Rainbow Dash said. Rainbow Dash preferred to hover and float alongside Applejack as she walked. Once the two had put Sweet Apple Acres out of eyesight, Applejack finally mustered the nerve to ask the question that was on both ponies' minds.

"What are we?" she said simply, though the question was far from simple.

"Well…" Rainbow Dash said, thinking carefully. "What do you want us to be?"

"Ah don't know, RD," Applejack said with a sigh. "Ah didn't even know we felt this way about each other before last night. Ah mean, ah didn't know you actually returned my feelings."

"Shouldn't you be a little more sure than that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, come on, if you really feel strongly about me, wouldn't the answer be obvious?"

"Well shucks, RD, ah don't see you being any more clear about it." That shut Rainbow Dash up for a moment.

"Well…" she said, struggling to respond to Applejack's admittedly honest observation. "I was spending this whole time trying to deny how I felt."

"Really, and this is supposed to flatter me how?" Applejack said. "Ah mean, if yer afraid of yer own feelings, then how can you expect anythin' more of me?" Rainbow Dash was feeling more and more uncomfortable. This wasn't at all how she pictured this conversation would go.

"You're right, Applejack. I'm sorry," she finally said, turning her head away ashamedly.

"Don't you worry none, RD. 'Tain't any easier fer me than it is fer you. Ah've been tryin' to deny how I felt, too, on account of mah family wouldn't altogether appreciate me shackin' up with another mare."

"So you're saying you'd want to fuck me, is that it?" Applejack suddenly blushed.

"Ah wouldn't say no―ah mean, after we've gone out fer a while, that is―ah mean, not that ah'm chicken or nothin', it's just ah've never done it before and…" She stopped when she saw Rainbow Dash smirking widely at her.

"Shucks, RD," she said, turning even redder. Her cheeks almost had the color of her older brother.

"Relax, AJ. I'm just teasing you," Rainbow Dash said, pulling her Stetson down over her eyes.

"That's very funny, RD. Ha ha," Applejack said, adjusting the Stetson. "You know what ah meant. They don't want me datin' another filly."

"Please. I'm the closest thing to a stallion you're ever gonna have the hots for," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack started blushing again, surprised that Rainbow Dash would actually admit to her tendencies to act a bit…masculine.

"Well, what are we gonna do about this?" Applejack asked, now expressing frustration.

"I think we should seriously think this through," Rainbow Dash said, feigning deep thought. "Let's go out, at least once. See if we can get a feel for each other."

"We've known each other for years," Applejack said.

"Not as lovers," Rainbow Dash said.

"Consarn it, RD, will ya quit makin' me blush?"

"Sorry, AJ," Rainbow Dash said, barely hiding her enjoyment. Teasing Applejack made this more fun, more riskless. She didn't care to admit it, but she hid a lot of her anxiety in jest, to the point where she sometimes got on somepony's nerves. Applejack knew her far too well to take offense to it, thankfully, and went along with the jesting.

"Ah reckon a date's a mighty fine idea, Rainbow Dash," she said. "What say you to gettin' a bite to eat at the ol' Sugarcube Corner?"

"We should get dinner first at the Old Mare's Inn at least," Rainbow Dash said. "Besides, what if things don't work out? I don't want Pinkie Pie knowing we're dating only to break her heart if things don't work out."

"You've got a point there…" Applejack admitted, once again surprised at Rainbow Dash's foresight. "Let's make it a date at the Old Mare's Inn then. Ah reckon that's a swell idea."

"Sounds great! Meet there at eight tonight?"

"Works fer me," Applejack said.

"See you then!" Rainbow Dash said, positively giddy as she flew off for home.

It was now Wednesday, and Fluttershy was busying herself about her house, hoping to avoid thinking about her dilemma. To tell Pinkie Pie or not to tell Pinkie Pie? If she didn't, she'd have her dignity intact, not to mention avoid awkward questions about her own sexual tastes. But if she _did_ ask Pinkie Pie for help, a world of untold pleasures awaited her. And with Pinkie Pie's uncanny seriousness in keeping secrets, nopony would ever know…

"Oh, Angel, what should I do?" Fluttershy asked her pet rabbit, who was in the middle of a nap and did not look amused at being awoken from it. The bunny crossed his forelegs and stared at Fluttershy.

"Sorry to disturb you, but I'm just so confused." Angel sighed and waved a dismissive paw at Fluttershy, indicating that he had nothing to contribute. Fluttershy sighed.

"Never mind. Go to sleep, Angel." Angel took the rare decision to obey Fluttershy's request, as he was still tired from doing…whatever it is Angel does.

Suddenly a knock at the door. Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her skin, especially when she heard the accompanying voice of the knocker.

"Helloooooooo! Guess whoooooo!" It was obvious who it was, and her timing could _not_ have been worse.

"N-n-not now, Pinkie Pie, I'm busy," Fluttershy said, picking up a duster in a desperate attempt to appear as though she was working.

"But I wanted to talk to you about something important!" Fluttershy felt alarm bells ringing in her head, and started dusting so quickly that she nearly knocked over one of her vases.

"Can't it wait?" Fluttershy mumbled through the duster in her teeth.

"Silly, if it could wait, then why did I come all the way down here?"

_Good point_, Fluttershy thought. She sighed, trotted up to the door, and let in her exuberant friend. Pinkie Pie bounded in and immediately took a seat on the couch.

"Come here, Fluttershy. Sit with your old pal Pinkie." Fluttershy obeyed reluctantly, hoping Pinkie Pie didn't want to talk about what she thought Pinkie Pie wanted to talk about.

"See, I thought about our little conversation two days ago, and thinking about it got my knee all a-pinchin' and my back all a-itchin' _at the same time_, and _that_ made me wonder 'How can it be my lucky day _and_ something scary?' and then it hit me! Obviously it meant that I would be talking to you about our little secret desires! So I came over here hoping you would talk and there goes my knee again," Pinkie Pie said, rubbing her knee with her hoof. Fluttershy retreated as far into the couch as she could.

"Well, I _have_ been thinking about it, too," she said, hoping beyond hope it wasn't coming off as awkward as it sounded. "And…um…not only about just reading the book." Pinkie Pie sat up in shock.

"There goes my back again!" Pinkie Pie said. "What else did you have in mind?" Fluttershy mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?" Pinkie Pie asked. Fluttershy leaned closer and mumbled again, only this time the words were just barely audible.

"To try it out," Fluttershy said. Pinkie Pie's back raged with itchiness and her knee pinched her hard enough to hurt.

"Wow, Fluttershy…for once, I don't know what to say! But if you really want to do it, I'm game. After all, I did kiss Rainbow Dash's naughty bits. I suppose this couldn't be any worse!"

_What am I doing?_ Fluttershy thought. Then again, she realized, if Pinkie Pie's back had been itching then it had really been a foregone conclusion, hadn't it?

"Well…um, do you want to come to my, um, room?" Fluttershy asked, hiding her face and her furiously blushing cheeks.

"Of course, silly! We should probably start on a soft bed instead of the cold kitchen tile anyway." This went over Fluttershy's head, but she ignored it as she led Pinkie Pie to her room, still not sure if this was the right decision. All the while, Angel watched from the windowsill, dumbfounded at what he thought he was seeing.

Fluttershy wasn't sure what came over her when she asked Pinkie Pie to start tying up her hooves with some spare fabric leftover from a sewing project of hers. Why had she suddenly come out with it, the urge to try this kind of thing? What did that mean about her feelings towards Pinkie Pie? What did it say about her own heated desires? But Pinkie Pie seemed just fine with all of this. In fact, she was humming a tune to herself as she tied up Fluttershy, as if this was something as trivial as sweeping the floors of Sugarcube Corner. Fluttershy attributed it to the powerful descriptions of the various subjugating sexual acts in the book, assigning the blame on it for stimulating her deep desires.

"Okay, all tied up!" Pinkie Pie declared, smiling giddily. She took a look at the book and frowned.

"Do you have a cat o' nine tails?" she asked.

"You mean the whip? No, I don't think I do…" Fluttershy said.

"Oh, never mind, the book says it's optional but recommended. I suppose we'll have to go buy one sometime."

"Are you insane?" Fluttershy sputtered, more loudly than she had intended. Pinkie Pie looked at her in surprise.

"What's wrong, Fluttershy?"

"I don't want anypony else to know about this…"

"They wouldn't _know_, Fluttershy. I'm sure plenty of ponies buy a cat o' nine tails all the time!"

"Where do they sell them, Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think I saw a store that was selling them down in Manehattan once. The name of the store was…oh..."

"What was it?" Fluttershy asked.

"Celestia's Secret." Fluttershy shook her head.

"Do you see what I mean, Pinkie Pie?" she asked. "It's bad enough I'm even trying this with you right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pinkie Pie asked, suddenly hurt.

"Oh, um, I mean…" Fluttershy squealed.

"If you don't want to do this, Fluttershy, just tell me," Pinkie Pie said, the dejection obvious in her voice.

"Of course I want to do it, it's just, I'm really nervous and I feel like a really bad pony and I don't want anypony else to think I'm weird."

"I don't think you're weird, Fluttershy." Even if it _was_ coming from Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy was touched by this affirmation.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said.

"You're welcome," Pinkie Pie chirped. "But you still hurt my feelings."

"Oh, right, well I―"

"Don't talk!" Pinkie Pie barked, hushing and scaring Fluttershy instantly. Pinkie Pie approached slowly, a devilish smirk on her face, an evil twinkle in her eye. "I think somepony needs to be _punished_…" Fluttershy thought about the position she was in. As per the book's instructions, her hooves were tied to the four corners of the bed so that she was laid out in a spread-eagle fashion. Fluttershy was on her stomach, lying on the bed the wrong way so that her hind legs were splayed across her pillow. Pinkie Pie straddled Fluttershy across her hind legs, ensuring she had clear aim at Fluttershy's surprisingly round rump.

"How many spanks do you deserve, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie said.

"O-o-one?" Fluttershy asked, scared and thrilled at her vulnerability. _Smack!_ Pinkie Pie hit Fluttershy across her backside, making Fluttershy cringe in pain.

"Oh, Fluttershy, I'm sorry! Was that too hard? Did I hurt you?" Pinkie Pie asked, completely breaking character.

"Yes," Fluttershy said, "but please, don't stop."

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie chirped again. "In that case, one wasn't enough. Every time I hit you, I want you to say you're sorry!" _Smack!_

"I'm sorry!"

_Smack!_

"Sorry!"

_Smack!_

"Sorry!" Fluttershy squealed through the pain. _Smack!_

"LOUDER!" Pinkie Pie shouted, frightening the poor filly laying beneath her. Fluttershy took a breath and shouted.

"I'M SORRY!" she said, almost bursting into tears. Pinkie Pie's expression softened, and she thought it was time to switch phases.

"There, there, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie forgives you…" Pinkie Pie lowered her face and began to kiss the sore, red spots on Fluttershy's rump. Fluttershy melted under the light touch of Pinkie Pie's lips, embracing the sensuality with refreshing relief. It was the contrast with the pain that made the pleasure so much more satisfying.


	6. First Date

**Chapter 6: First Date**

"Wasn't that fun, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked. Having alternated between harsh Pinkie and tender Pinkie a few times, Fluttershy was titillated and eager to take things further. She hadn't pushed it with Pinkie Pie however; Fluttershy knew what role she was supposed to play.

"A lot more than I expected," Fluttershy said, surprised at how much she had enjoyed being spanked and then tenderly kissed over and over again.

"Well, I've gots to get going, so maybe we can do this some other time."

"I would love it," Fluttershy said.

"I'd better see you," Pinkie Pie said, glaring at Fluttershy in a way that made her fearful and turned on. As strange as it seemed, Pinkie Pie's harsh side was a formidable force. Behind that jocular exterior lay a surprisingly sinister sadist.

"Don't worry, you will," Fluttershy said timidly, but still sporting a grin. Pinkie Pie bounced up, immediately vanquishing her inner dominatrix.

"See ya around, Fluttershy!" she crowed as she bounced out the door. Fluttershy shut it behind her and began to reminisce about the time they had spent together. Was it unusual? Absolutely. Was Pinkie Pie's darker side a cause for concern? Possibly, given that there had been no indication of its existence before. Did the whole thing turn Fluttershy on so much that she couldn't wait for it to happen again, that she couldn't bear not taking it to the next level?

Without a shadow of a doubt.

_This is it!_ Rainbow Dash said to herself. She was waiting now at the Old Mare's Inn, and the clock tower indicated at the time was 7:55 in the evening. Applejack would be arriving any minute now for their very first date. Rainbow Dash had known Applejack for years, but something about tonight had her stomach aflutter, as if there were a thousand little Rainbow Dashes trying to fly their way out of her body. Disconcerted by her anxiety, she tapped her hoof on the ground impatiently.

7:59. Rainbow Dash scanned the horizon, hoping to see any sign of Applejack's impending arrival. The orange Earth pony was nowhere to be seen. _Still, she's not late_, Rainbow Dash reminded herself.

8:00. Still no sign of Applejack. Rainbow Dash was beginning to feel dismayed. Was she going to be stood up after that passionate kiss? Did Applejack get cold hooves? What was going on?

8:02. Finally the Earth pony came galloping up the road and stopped just short of Rainbow Dash, desperately trying to catch her breath. Rainbow Dash, though peeved, waited for Applejack to recover before asking her why she was so late.

"What took you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You're really going to do this?" Applejack snapped. "Do ya have any idea what ah had to go through to git my flank over here? Ah obviously can't tell my family where ah'm goin', on account of the shame and rejection ah'd face when they find out, so ah had to think up a pretty darned good excuse as to why ah was leavin', and you know ah'm a terrible liar. Ah finally told them ah was meeting a friend, which was the truth, though ah didn't tell them what fer, though they didn't ask. And that was _after_ all the chores ah had to do on the farm. Big Macintosh hurt himself again, so ah was stuck doing double the work and ah _still_ got here within five minutes of the time we agreed upon. Are you goin' to make a fuss _now_?" Rainbow Dash felt just like Fluttershy by now, so she meekly apologized, only to see Applejack smile at her.

"It's okay, Rainbow Dash. Ah'd be just as peeved if ah were you. Late for the first date? That's usually a bad sign."

"Oh, well…thanks. And I know you well enough to know that you're _never_ late, so I guess I can let this slide."

"You 'guess'?"

"Maybe you find a way to make it up to me later." Applejack chuckled.

"On the first date? Really, RD? Ain't that a bit forward?"

"We've known each other way longer than that."

"Let's just go get our seats," Applejack said. Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement and the two went inside the inn. They were seated fairly quickly; the sight of Applejack caused a stir in the wait staff, as her family was known to grow the apples used in the inn's famous apple cobbler. Once seated, a waiter quickly flew over (he was a pegasus) and took their drink orders. Rainbow Dash ordered a daiquiri and Applejack went with her old standby of apple cider. While they were waiting for their drinks, they started to talk about them.

"Ya know," Applejack said, "ah spend all day workin' with apples and ah never git sick of them. Ah can still gulp down a frosty cider when ah'm in the mood fer one."

"Frosty? I thought the cider wasn't alcoholic."

"RD, _our_ cider isn't alcoholic because we make it fresh. It hasn't had time to ferment. The cider here's been fermentin' long enough to make it about twice as powerful as that little daiquiri you just ordered."

"Don't knock the daiquiri. It's got great taste."

"Wouldn't know. Never had the misfortune of trying one."

"Keep it up, and I might just force it down your throat." The two of them glared at each other but then started to laugh.

"Fer a second there you almost sounded serious."

"I know," Rainbow Dash said with a deadpan expression. The two ponies began to laugh again. There followed a silence that was punctuated when the waiter returned with their drinks.

"And what would you like to order?" he asked.

"Make it some fettuccini alfredo for me, sir, garnished with daffodils," Applejack said. Rainbow Dash scoffed.

"I'll have the veal with carrots and lilies," she said. Applejack glared at her.

"One fettuccini and one cut of veal coming right up," the waiter said before swiftly departing. Rainbow Dash scoffed when she saw Applejack's dirty look.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You know ah'm a vegetarian," Applejack said.

"So what? I'm an omnivorian…omni…"

"Omnivore?" Applejack offered.

"What you said," Rainbow Dash said.

"You do realize that animal had a face and a life, right?" Applejack said.

"And I will enjoy it in death. You should really lighten up."

"Whatever," Applejack said before taking a sip of the cider. She shook her head.

"Not nearly as good as the cider ah make at home," she said with a sigh. "I should have known…"

"Are you sure you don't want to try this?" Rainbow Dash asked, waving the daiquiri at Applejack tantalizingly. Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Ah suppose not…" Applejack took a small sip from the daiquiri and smacked her lips with delight.

"That there is quite something! Delicious!" Rainbow Dash, eager to taste for herself, took a sip and gagged.

"Are you crazy? There's way too much lime in this!"

"Do you want to switch drinks?" Applejack asked.

"Sure," Rainbow Dash said. She exchanged her glass for Applejack's tankard and took a sip from the cider.

"Not bad," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack shook her head and took another sip from the daiquiri.

"It could be worse," she said. "The cider, ah mean. It could be that Flim Flam filth."

"Come on, AJ, their quality-controlled stuff wasn't bad. Just ask your grandmother."

"Ah beg yer pardon, but Granny Smith did _not_ enjoy that cider!"

"That's not what she told me…" Rainbow Dash said, leaning back in her booth and taking a sip of her cider.

"What in blazes did she tell you?" Applejack demanded.

"She wanted to know if I'd tried any of their cider before they put bark and shit in it."

"Why did she wanna know that?" Applejack asked.

"She told me it was frighteningly good, and if they had sold _that_ cider to the ponies of Ponyville, that she _for sure_ would have lost the farm."

"That's horseshit and you know it!" Applejack said.

"Ask her yourself," Rainbow Dash said. "Though she was a little tipsy when I talked to her about it."

"Grannie Smith doesn't drink," Applejack said plainly. Rainbow Dash laughed.

"Wow, you still believe that? There's a lot about Grannie Smith that you don't know, then."

"Can we just change the subject?" Applejack asked, looking uncomfortable. Rainbow Dash took pity on her and conceded to switch topics.

"It seems a little weird to be on a first date when we've known each other for so long," she said.

"You're the one who suggested it! What did ya think it was gonna be like?" Rainbow Dash allowed her mind a brief fantasy of how far this first date could go, but soon shrugged it out of her mind.

"Well, a first date is like a 'getting to know you' kind of thing. I almost wouldn't even call it a first date, because we already know each other. This is more like a second date, where we're past the q and a and we're just going out to have fun."

"Call it what you will, then," Applejack said with a smile. "It's still a first date to me."

"Whatever, Crapplejack," Rainbow Dash said.

"Excuse me?" Applejack said, startled. "What did you just call me?"

"Crapplejack," Rainbow Dash said. "I was just teasing you."

"Ah know, but you coulda said 'Crabapplejack.' You didn't have to go that far with it."

"Sorry," Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "Did I hurt the poor filly's feelings?" Applejack kicked Rainbow Dash's leg under the table.

"Yer an asshole," she said, smiling.

"Don't kick me!" Rainbow Dash said, aiming a hoof at Applejack and missing wildly.

"You need to work on your aim, girl," Applejack said. The two of them proceeded to start kicking each other when their waiter arrived with their food, confused as to what he was seeing.

"Um…beg your pardon, madams, but your food has arrived." The two mares stopped kicking at each other immediately and graciously accepted their meals. The pegasus floated off, just a little concerned. Rainbow Dash and Applejack began to eat, and they started playing hoofsies under the table. Rainbow Dash dug into her veal ravenously; all of her nervous energy had made her quite hungry.

"Yer supposed to savor yer meal," Applejack said with alfredo in her mouth.

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full," Rainbow Dash said. "Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners? Oh," she added, looking at the hurt in Applejack's eyes. "I'm sorry…"

"Ah told you not to talk about mah parents, Rainbow Dash," she said seriously, stopping her fooling around under the table.

"I forgot. It was an accident. I'm really sorry, okay?"

"Fine," Applejack said, eating her food more dejectedly, not really enjoying each bite. Rainbow Dash felt terrible, until Applejack gave her another good kick in the shin and smiled at her.

"Chill out, RD. Ah forgive ya. Just don't do it again."

"Sure!" Rainbow Dash said, kicking Applejack back. They smiled and continued to eat.

There wasn't room for much conversation in between the bites of food, so the two mares exchanged furtive glances at each other, pretending they were strangers. When their eyes met, they would quickly dart away from each other's gaze. It was the stuff of school fillies, but the teasing nature of the glancing was a turn-on for them. It made Rainbow Dash's wings quiver and her mind eager. Applejack was feeling the same vibes as well, though she was less clear about what they meant.

Spike had finally arrived at the dragon colony, and so far it was not impressing. The older male dragons were poking fun at him for being "Twilight's little bitch," as he was known outside of the friendliness of Ponyville. The younger male dragons were afraid to befriend him, given what the older dragons were saying about him. And the female dragons seemed to hold no interest in him.

What had followed as a result was a lot of awkward introductions and walking around trying to find someone to talk to, but it ended in vain. He spent the first day making absolutely no friends whatsoever.

Dejected, he went to bed that night thinking about home, about Twilight Sparkle and her friends, about Rarity. Oh, yes, his thoughts strayed to Rarity against his will. He remembered the kiss she gave him as a parting gift, and smiled at the thought that she was the most generous pony she knew.

_I really miss her_, he realized, and he buried his head in his pillow in sadness.

That night he had what he would never admit was a wildly erotic dream, but there he was in Twilight's room, watching her masturbate. She was unaware of his presence, and so held nothing back as she rubbed her clitoris and squealed cries of ecstasy. Suddenly she turned and looked at Spike. Although she was surprised, she smiled sultrily at him.

"Would you care to help me out, my number-one assistant?" she asked him. Spike seemed to float on air towards her, and soon Twilight had him licking her clitoris as she used her magic to stimulate his penis. As the two of them engaged themselves, Spike suddenly heard a voice.

"What's going on here?"

Spike and Twilight stopped immediately and turned to the source of the voice, guilty as teenagers. Rarity had just trotted into the room, and she looked affronted. Before either of them could spit out a word of explanation, Rarity spoke again.

"You and Twilight are…having sex, yes?" she asked.

"Well…sort of," Spike said sheepishly.

"And you didn't invite me to join you?" Spike cleaned out his ears with his finger to make sure he had heard Rarity properly.

"Well, this was a spur-of-the-moment thing…" Twilight said.

"Then consider me fashionably late," Rarity said as she trotted towards them, smiling at Spike. Spike was paralyzed in surprise as he saw his one true love coming over to sleep with him. All thoughts of Twilight vanished when Rarity got up on the bed and started to make out with Spike. She stroked his member with her hoof as they made out, and Twilight took the opportunity to clop to them.

Just as things were getting really heated, Spike found himself pulling away from the dream. He desperately tried to cling to it, but his brain awoke him, and he lay in the unfamiliar dragon colony sweating and ashamed.

How could he think of Rarity like that? Of Twilight? And how could he enjoy it so much, even if it was only just a dream? Spike put his head in his hands and groaned before turning on his side and trying to go back to sleep to revisit the dream. It did not come for the rest of the night.

Spike didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

Twilight had not slept well that night, as her thoughts and dreams kept drifting toward Rarity. The sweat that had gathered as a result of those dreams had long since evaporated with the evening moon, and as Princess Celestia raised the morning sun, Twilight felt as though she had never really gone to bed.

With Spike gone, she had to make herself breakfast and figured she could make due with some hay. The menial task of chewing left her mind free to drift to Rarity again.

_This makes no sense!_ Twilight thought to herself with frustration. _I don't like mares! I like stallions and now I like Rarity―that can't be right! It's not like I'm in love with her. It's just that she…she…_

_ She's available._

_ That can't be it. Nopony suddenly becomes attracted to anypony else simply because they're in heat._

_ Then how do you explain it, Twilight?_

"Reading!" she said aloud, and the adrenaline that pumped through her veins reinvigorated her to search for the answer in a book. The topic of bisexuality had not really struck Twilight as relevant yesterday, so she desperately desired to find something else to explain it. As she searched, book after book began to pile up on the floor. There was nothing in A Young Filly's Blooming Heart; no mention of Twilight's predicament in Help! I'm Falling for My Friend, as it did not delve into same-sex friendships; and only a brief excerpt from Feeling Gay which read, "Sometimes, it is easier for a pony to tell if he or she is gay by imagining their same-sex friends in sexual situations."

"But I'm not gay," Twilight said aloud. A knock on the door startled her into dropping the half dozen or so books she had levitating around her. Panicked, Twilight neglected the sizable mess she had made and opened the door, only to find the last pony she needed to see.

"Hello, Rarity…" Twilight said, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Twilight, is something wrong?" she asked. Twilight didn't notice it, but Rarity was quite uptight as well.

"Of course not, Rarity! Come on in!" Twilight said too loudly. She turned and saw the mess of books on the floor, and it felt like alarm bells began ringing in her head. She galloped towards the pile, desperate to put the heap of books away, but of course Rarity noticed this.

"Good heavens, Twilight. Up to your muzzle in research again?"

"Just some light reading!" Twilight said. In her panic, she was having difficulty concentrating enough to levitate the books, not to mention her stubborn attention to detail in making sure they were returned to their proper places on the shelf.

"Let me help you, dear," Rarity said, lifting a book with her horn and examining the cover out of curiosity.

"Equine Urges?" she asked. "Twilight, what is…A Young Filly's Blooming Heart? Why in heavens would you be reading all of _these_."

"It's…um…" Twilight said, scrambling for an alibi. "Well, what you said yesterday really intrigued me, so I thought I'd do some research on it and I guess I got carried away."

"Oh, I'm flattered, dear," Rarity said, which made Twilight blush. "Really, though, you shouldn't go through so much trouble to help me when my problem is so trivial. I guess every mare has her season, and I've just discovered mine, that's all." Rarity, with no conscious intent, avoided catching Twilight's eye.

"But I always enjoy helping my friends," Twilight said. _Nice save_, she congratulated herself.

"I know dear, but sometimes I think you put yourself out too much. You need to learn how to rein it in and take care of yourself. Why, it looks as though you didn't sleep at all last night, given the bags under your reddened eyes. Did my problem keep you awake all night?"

"You could say I had you on my mind a lot last night…" Twilight said, knowingly treading into dangerous waters but hoping her half-truth would hold.

"Well, you're not the only one who had trouble sleeping…" Rarity said. For a moment, Twilight wildly wondered if Rarity reciprocated her emotions, but she shrugged it off as impossible.

"What was bothering you?" Twilight asked.

"The thing is, I don't even know," Rarity said. "I just feel so uncomfortable with my own body. All this talk of sex so suddenly coming up has made me very nervous."

"I could tell at the sleepover," Twilight said. "I'm really sorry we made you so uncomfortable."

"No no, I should be a bit less sensitive, especially around the likes of Rainbow Dash. A mare has to have thick skin, as it were. But my problem seems to lie beneath the skin. Funny how we can take a lot of grief from other ponies but cannot handle the least amount of our own insecurities."

"What insecurities are you talking about?" Twilight asked. Rarity's flourishing speech was sometimes confusing to follow. Twilight wondered if this is how her friends felt when she was explaining something to them.

"Well, about my own…heat, I suppose. I've never felt so starved in all my life, and no food can satiate that hunger. But I told you all this yesterday."

"So why did you come here again today?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I…" Rarity stumbled, but she couldn't understand what had brought her here. "I just figured that…maybe you knew what I was going through."

"I think I do," Twilight said.

"Well, I'm sorry to have bothered you like this. Try to get some sleep today, if you can," Rarity said, with all intent of trotting out the door, despite her heart telling her her unknown conflict had not been resolved.

"Sleep…sleep…Rarity, wait!" Twilight pleaded.

"What is it, dear?" Rarity asked, turning to face Twilight again.

"The thing is, I couldn't sleep because…well, because of you."

"Twilight, I already told you my problem is nothing to worry―"

"It's not about your problem! It's you. It's been you all along! I don't even know how to say it…it's _you_, okay?" Twilight felt absolutely ashamed of herself, and without warning tears started to fall from her eyes. Rarity, confused and crestfallen, trotted over to her poor friend and started to stroke her mane.

"Twilight, I'm dreadfully sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"I don't understand it either, Rarity," Twilight said. Rarity's eye caught one of the books that the two of them had neglected to pick up. She remembered what all the titles of the books had in common, and then realization suddenly came to her.

"Twilight…you're not…no, it's ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous?" Twilight asked.

"Nothing, dear," Rarity said. "Really, I should think it would be quite impossible anyway."

"What's impossible?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, I don't know! Well, I do know, but I can't tell you. Not that I'm unable to, but I won't. Not that I don't want to, but I―"

"Never mind, Rarity!" Twilight shouted. "Why don't you just ask what you need to ask."

"Are you sure? It might be awkward."

"Please!" Twilight cried, feeling suffocated by the tension in the room.

"Are you in love with me?" Rarity finally asked.

"No!" Twilight cried, and though the tension broke the awkwardness hovered in silence around them, enveloping them in confusion.

"Then what's with the…?" Rarity began to ask.

"The books?" Twilight responded. "The books…Rarity, I'm in heat, too, but I think it's more specific…I _want_ you, Rarity." Twilight started to sob audibly now as she put her head in her hooves. Rarity felt like knives were stabbing her heart, she was so confused and upset that Twilight was so upset. She wanted desperately to comfort her friend, but at the same time felt affronted at the carnality of Twilight's feelings for her. There was something deeper, too, something obscure enough to remain mysterious but powerful enough to be felt. Rarity lacked the insight to address it, so she instead said an awkward goodbye and trotted out of the library, feeling horribly guilty for trotting out on her friend.

The meal had ended, and now Applejack was walking Rainbow Dash to her cloud. Well, they were walking towards the cloud, but Applejack wouldn't be able to bring Rainbow Dash to her door. Because of her family, Applejack had refused to let Rainbow Dash walk her to Sweet Apple Acres, so this was the only alternative.

"That veal was _so_ good," Rainbow Dash said.

"Don't talk about animals like they're pieces of meat, Rainbow Dash," Applejack scolded.

"But it _was_ a piece of meat, sitting right there on my plate. Believe me, AJ, you missed out."

"Whatever," Applejack said, grinning. "So what's new with the weather, RD?"

"Really? Are we really trying small talk?"

"That's what makes a great first date," Applejack said.

"I already told you, this doesn't count as a first date," Rainbow Dash explained as if lecturing to a school filly.

"Yer so stubborn, RD," Applejack said.

"You're one to talk, Applejack! Remember when you tried bucking the whole farm?"

"Hooey, ah felt like ah was drunk during that whole charade," Applejack said. "Ain't never gonna try that again."

"I hope not!" Rainbow Dash said.

"You ever get overtired?" Applejack asked.

"I flew a marathon once," Rainbow Dash said. "I could barely lift my wings for at least a week after that. But that was more over exhausted, not overtired."

"Same difference, ah reckon," Applejack said, "only you felt it in yer wings and ah felt it in mah eyes. You know that feeling ya get when yer eyes feel like they're being pulled down by giant weights."

"Oh, yeah, cramming for a flight school exam will do that to you. Good thing I passed with flying colors!" Rainbow Dash said, hopefully enthusiastically enough to cover the lie.

"Speaking of flying colors, ah've never stopped to ask how you got such a beautiful mane."

"Really, you didn't just assume I dyed it like every other stupid pony in Ponyville?"

"No, ah assume it's natural. What colors are yer parents' manes?"

"You're not gonna believe it, but they're brown and blond."

"Codswallop!" Applejack exclaimed.

"I'm dead serious. I'll show you a picture sometime. They took me to a geneticist who told them that my mane color was the rarest. It only occurs once every three generations."

"That is somethin', RD. Ah suppose that's why they named ya Rainbow Dash."

"You bet! It's one of the few things they did right."

"Don't talk like that about yer parents, RD!"

"Really? Well, if you knew them, you'd understand I'm being too kind."

"Care to explain why?" Applejack asked.

"You want to tell me why your parents are gone?" Rainbow Dash countered.

"Fine. Ah won't if you won't."

"Deal."

"Well, this is it," Applejack said, pointing up at the cloud containing Rainbow Dash's house.

"Ah really wish ah could walk you to yer door. Ah'll have to ask Twilight to help me with that cloud-walkin' spell o' hers."

"Don't worry about it, AJ. This is fine." They stopped trotting directly underneath the cloud.

"Well, goodnight, RD."

"'Night, AJ." The two stared at each other, and as if on cue, both leaned in and connected in a passionate kiss. Their tongues were less shy now, and each pony used them to freely explore the other's mouth. Rainbow Dash lifted herself off the ground, flapping with her stiff wings and not bothering to worry about the implications Applejack would make. Applejack's Stetson fell off her head as she leaned her head up to take Rainbow Dash's aerial kiss. The two finally disconnected after what seemed like an eternity as Rainbow Dash waved sultrily goodbye to Applejack. Applejack waved back, and once Rainbow Dash had broken the cloud line, she picked up her Stetson and made her way towards Sweet Apple Acres with a bounce in her step.


	7. Pet Play Date

**Chapter 7: Pet Play Date**

Rainbow Dash had just awoken from a heavily erotic dream. In the dream, Applejack had let her wear her Stetson as she fucked her silly. Her thrusting plunged Rainbow Dash deeper and deeper into ecstasy as she rode Rainbow Dash like a bull rider. All of the while, her twang accentuated itself as it grunted, which Rainbow Dash found so sexy. When she awoke from the dream, it was in dismay that she had been interrupted right before coming. Rainbow Dash looked down at her sheets and noticed a distinct stain that caused her to flush with embarrassment.

_Luckily nopony else is in here to see that._

Rainbow Dash left her room and floated outside, staring in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, wondering if Applejack was looking up for her as well. Sadness washed over her that she could not fathom, and it brought her dismay as she returned to her bed.

What was she doing? What were they doing? Was this love or was it just attraction on a physical level? There were so many unanswered questions, even more so than before she had asked her out. Wondering if she would ever really be satisfied, Rainbow Dash fell into a fitful sleep.

Applejack, unbeknownst to Rainbow Dash, was wrestling with her own thoughts. Hers, though, were about her family. Sooner or later, it was inevitable that the ponies she loved would need to be told. And while she couldn't imagine her friends seeing anything wrong with what they were doing, she knew her family felt differently about that sort of thing. It made her wince to imagine Grannie Smith's sharp reaction: the one that she knew was inevitable. The disappointment in Big Macintosh's eyes would surely resonate. But the most painful sting came from the expression of pain and confusion that Applebloom would surely wear. To try to tell that young filly what it meant to love other fillies seemed unbearable to Applejack.

Applejack looked out the window at the stars, imagining Rainbow Dash's streaking tail soaring through them. Her thoughts turned to the two of them. What was going on here, really? Where did they really stand? How could she know if this was really something special? The answers didn't come, so Applejack had to suffer alone, at least for now.

It was all Fluttershy could do to keep from going to Sugarcube Corner and begging Pinkie for more. The soft kisses on her rump were still a nice memory, but Fluttershy felt she had been cheated and she craved more from the pink pony. It greatly confused her to hold such passion for a mare, especially since she had never felt any previous attraction towards one, but that confusion took a back seat to her burning desire.

It would not do to talk to her other friends about it. She didn't want it known that she and Pinkie Pie were involved in that way. It would just bring up too many confusing questions. Rather, she only conversed with Angel about it, who she knew would not tell a soul, given that Fluttershy was really the only one with whom he conversed. The other ponies didn't understand his mannerisms anyway.

"Angel, what am I going to do?" she asked her pet bunny, who gave her a dirty look.

"Don't look at me like that, Angel, I know there's something good going on here. It's just that I want _more_. Is that really so bad?" Angel mimed eating too many carrots and getting sick.

"Oh, sweetie, I don't think sex is like that at all," Fluttershy said. "I think the more you have, the better it feels." Angel shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he wouldn't know.

"But you're a rabbit. Rabbits mate all the time. That's why you have so many babies and why the annual bunny census takes so long." Angel slapped his face with his paw and shook his head. Fluttershy smiled.

"Oh, I'm being too timid again!" she suddenly spat at herself. "If I want something, I should just ask for it. Iron Will was a brute, but he had the right idea about being assertive." Angel mimed Iron Will's flashy dance, the one where he swung his arms quickly.

"Yes, Angel, that Iron Will. Do you know any others?" Angel thought about this and shook his head, his ears flopping as he did so.

"Oh, you're so cute," Fluttershy said, giving her bunny a hug, with which he wasn't particularly fond. He accepted it regardless.

"The next time I see Pinkie Pie, I'll ask her for a private word and I'll let her know how badly I need her…" The thought terrified Fluttershy. She didn't want to seem _too_ dependent. After all, hadn't she gotten by on her own all these years? But her craven desire once again blocked any other thoughts from her mind, and so she returned to her daily chores with new resolve.

Pinkie Pie was excited to see Fluttershy again. She knew that their pet day was tomorrow and that made her ever so thrilled. Perhaps she could think of a way to ask her for a private word so they could set up another rendezvous.

Pinkie Pie, beneath her giddiness, felt worried that she was asking too much of Fluttershy. After all, she had put her in a demeaning position last time. But Fluttershy had been firm about what she wanted, and so Pinkie Pie wasn't about to question her friend's resolve.

"Oh, Gummy, this is gonna be _soooooo_ fun!" she exclaimed. Gummy stared at her blankly, as he always did.

"Poor Gummy, everything just goes over your head, doesn't it?" Gummy blinked.

"Oh well, you're still the best pet in the whole wide world! Scene cut!"

Twilight was in despair. It wasn't really her fault, considering her out of control emotions, but she just could not keep herself from thinking of Rarity. What was worse, she would be in close proximity to her on their weekly visit to the park. Twilight was spending her evening with thoughts racing in her mind about what she would say to her when she saw her. Nothing she could come up with seemed satisfying enough.

"What do I do, Owloysius?" she asked.

"Who," was the only response she got.

"Rarity," Twilight said with a groan. "I told her how I felt yesterday and…well, it was just so _awkward_, and I don't know if I can face her again! But I _want_ to. I so desperately _want_ to, but at the same time I'm afraid I've made a big fool of myself. _Why_ did I have to tell her I wanted her? How awkward must that have been! Oh, just peck me to death and end my misery!" Twilight started crying again, and became frustrated. Crying seems to be all she's done ever since Rarity left.

Owloysius, even though he didn't really understand what Twilight was talking about, could tell that she was distraught. He cooed sadly and roosted upon Twilight's shoulder, rubbing her face with his head.

"That's very sweet, Owloysius, but it's not necessary. I'm a big mare. Rarity's my friend. I shouldn't be getting so worked up about all this…where are you going?" Owloysius flew over to Twilight's rolls of parchment and quill.

"A letter to the princess? Seriously? Even if Spike were here to send it, I wouldn't know what to say. I think she'd be totally confused." Owloysius picked up a scroll and mimed flying out the window with it.

"I'm not going to make you fly to Canterlot with my letter. I'm not even going to write a letter!" Twilight groaned and shoved her face into her pillow, moaning as she did so.

"Okay, Twilight, be reasonable. There's nothing you can do about this tonight, right? So the best thing to do would be to get some sleep, then tomorrow bring Owloysius and talk to Rarity as if nothing happened.

"But that's not going to work! Something did happen, and not addressing it is only going to make things more uncomfortable than they already are. I have to mention it again.

"Maybe I should apologize. But that implies that calling Rarity attractive was a mistake. I don't want to insult her."

"Who," Owloysius said.

"Rarity! How many times do I have to say it? Oh, right…" Twilight said sheepishly, remembering that Owloysius was, well, an owl.

"If only there was some kind of spell to put me to sleep. Well, there is, but another unicorn has to cast it. I can't do it by myself because I'd be too drowsy to finish it and then it would just wear off." Twilight spent her night tossing and turning, upset about her predicament and unable to relax.

Ever since Twilight had told Rarity…well, what she had told her, Rarity's heart had been pounding. Opportunity had arisen, somehow, and if Rarity wanted her heat satiated, would it really hurt to ask Twilight Sparkle to satisfy her hunger?

But Rarity thought this incredibly unfair. How could she use Twilight like that? That would be the opposite of Generosity. Still, she had never experienced a heat like this one in all her life. Just imagining a stallion such as Big Macintosh or Lucky or Celestia forbid Shining Armor gave her a strong urge to touch herself.

It made Rarity upset beyond belief the way she had left things with Twilight. The whole thing had been just so shocking that there was no way to deal with it in the present situation. If only she could talk to Twilight and apologize for leaving so abruptly.

Then she remembered the trip to the park.

That would be the perfect time to talk to Twilight! None of her friends dared to miss the weekly pet play date, and Rarity would be sure this wouldn't be a first for her. Perhaps she could explain her reaction then, in the comfort of a neutral territory.

But what, pray tell, would she explain?

She would explain the reason she had left so suddenly, that what Twilight said had been a lot to take in. _Yes, that should smooth things over just enough_, Rarity thought.

Rarity went to sleep that night hoping that she could make things right with her friend.

When Twilight woke up the next morning, she seriously considering skipping the play date, but she reminded herself that this was out of the question. It was an unwritten agreement that nopony would skip out on this important social time, no matter how busy they were. The pet play date had become, over time, about more than a gathering of their animals. It represented a pact of friendship that they would somehow all find the time to get together at least once a week, every week, without fail. Twilight hadn't missed a date ever since she had acquired Owloysius, and she didn't plan on making this a first.

Still, her gut instinct when she arrived at the park was to take her owl and run far away from her friends. She bit her lip in order to prevent her gut from making her decisions for her. Twilight remembered her father's advice, that she should always listen to her gut instinct, but ignored it. This was a special circumstance. This was about the future of her friendship with Rarity. That friendship was too important to lose over something as this.

Twilight waited anxiously for the rest of her friends to arrive. She was surprised when Rarity was the next to arrive, and somewhat relieved that they had a brief moment to themselves. Too brief, it turned out, because Pinkie Pie came bouncing right behind her.

"Hey Twilight, hi Rarity, what's shaking?" she asked giddily, bouncing about with Gummy holding onto her tail for dear life.

"Um…not much, Pinkie," Twilight said.

"Yes, we're um…just fine, dear," Rarity added.

"We were just wondering if―"

"―we could have some time alone―"

"―if that's all right with you." It was uncanny how the two had finished each other's thoughts in such a way. Twilight took it as a good sign.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie Pie said. "Oh, hi Fluttershy!" she added, looking to see the pegasus flying down towards the park with Angel on her back. The two ponies let their pets go and began walking away from Twilight and Rarity, looking quite pleased to see each other. Owloysius and Opalescence soon joined the new arrivals, leaving Twilight and Rarity their privacy.

"What's with those two?" Twilight asked, pointing out Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, who were deeply engrossed in conversation.

"Don't ask me," Rarity said. "So, I wanted to start with an apology. I'm sorry I left things the way I did last time we saw each other."

"No, Rarity, I'm sorry I put you in such an awkward situation. It was really stupid of me to―" Rarity put a hoof on Twilight's mouth. Twilight stared cross-eyed at it in shock.

"Don't even go there, Twilight. I don't want to hear any more self-deprecating language from you, do you understand? Your self-confidence is shaky enough as it is." Twilight felt ashamed that her low self-esteem was really so obvious, but Rarity ignored this.

"I want you to know, Twilight, that I am very flattered by what you said to me. Although I was stunned at the time, I realize now it only seems natural for you to, what did you call it, want me."

"Natural? What do you mean?" Twilight asked, thoroughly confused now.

"Well, my charms were sure to flatter _somepony_ sooner or later. Honestly, I didn't expect it from you. I thought you were straight."

"No, Rarity, that's the point. I _am_ straight. I don't know what's come over me about you, but it's definitely something."

"You're straight? But―"

"I don't feel this way about any other mare, really. I think about my other friends as friends. I think of ponies like Cheerilee and Bon Bon as acquaintances. I think of you as…well, a pony of great interest," she finished lamely.

"And the stallions, what do you think of them?" Rarity asked.

"Well, there is Big Mac…"

"Of course, we've discussed this already," Rarity said, remembering the conversation from two days back.

"So I know I still like stallions, but I also want you, Rarity. I can't believe I'm even saying it. I…I just feel…"

_No, Twilight, don't cry again!_ she scolded herself.

"Twilight, dearest, you mustn't get so worked up about all this. I don't think I understand what you're feeling, but I know enough to know that it's okay and you shouldn't be ashamed of it. To tell you the truth, my heart was pounding the entire way home when you told me, and it hasn't stopped since."

_Are you really going to do this, Rarity?_ she thought to herself.

"Rarity, what are you saying?" Twilight asked.

"I'm saying that, well…you're in heat for me, and I'm just in heat, so there's no reason we can't…you know…"

"Rarity!" Twilight cried in shock and unexpected excitement. "You can't possibly mean―?"

"Oh, but I can," Rarity said with a devilish grin. "What closer act between two friends is there? After all, we are the best of friends, are we not?" Twilight laughed, remembering the last time Rarity used those words. A darker part of her reminded her she wanted something from Twilight then, too.

"Well, what exactly are you proposing?" Twilight asked, wondering if this was all some crazy dream.

"I'm proposing that we take care of each other in the most intimate way possible. I mean, we're grown mares, we shouldn't be so ashamed of it all."

"But it'll be our first times…" Twilight said.

"Well than who better to share it with than each other?" Rarity asked.

"You make a good point," Twilight said. "I guess the only question is when and where."

"Your place tonight?" Rarity asked. "After all, Spike's gone, and your room is much, pardon me, roomier than mine."

"That seems a little fast!" Twilight said.

"Oh, well if you don't want to do it tonight, then maybe we can―"

"I love it," Twilight said. "I'll prepare everything by the book! As soon as we get home from this play date, I'll set everything up. Bring some wine, and we'll make an evening out of it."

"Really? We're really doing this?" Rarity asked.

"If you insist," Twilight said.

"Well then I can't wait," Rarity said.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were making their own rendezvous plans.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Fluttershy asked.

"Absolutely!" Pinkie Pie said. "Oh, this is going to be so great! Do you want me to bring anything?"

"To my place? We're using…?"

"Of course, duh! I've got two babies and two grown-ups at home! You live by yourself with a bunch of animals."

"I don't know," Fluttershy said, looking at her pet rabbit. "Angel seemed pretty scarred the last time you were over…"

"Let him be scarred," Pinkie Pie said sinisterly. "It makes it _way_ hotter, don't you think?"

"I suppose so…" Fluttershy said.

"And this time, maybe _you_ can be the mistress!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Oh, Pinkie, I don't think I―"

"Hey, Twirity!" Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted, greeting the two unicorns as they came over, unknowingly interrupting an important conversation. Pinkie Pie gave a quick wink to Fluttershy as a way to confirm their date before hugging her two unicorn friends.

"Twirity?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, I figured it'd be faster than saying, "Hey, Twilight and Rarity!" so I mixed together your names and came up with Twirity! Pretty neat, huh?"

"Sure, it's…great," Rarity said with a false smile. Pinkie Pie missed the disingenuousness of Rarity's expression.

"Hey! Where's Applejack and Dashie?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I don't know," Twilight said. "They're usually not this late…"

"Here we are!" cried a familiar twang. Up the hill came Applejack and Rainbow Dash, with Winona and Tank in tow. They let their animals join the other four and caught up with their friends.

"What took you two so long?" Twilight asked.

"Nothin'," Applejack said coyly. In truth, Applejack had run into Rainbow Dash at the way to the park, and the two had agreed to allow themselves time to make out in the nearby bushes. They had simply lost track of time.

"Whatever," Twilight said. "So what's new with you two?"

"Um…nothing," Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her mane nervously with her hoof.

"Really…?" Twilight asked. "Okay then, how about you, Pinkie Pie?"

"Oh, so much is new! First of all, Pound Cake just learned how to fly through a hoop without bumping into it! We were so happy for him! Well, except for Pumpkin Cake, she got jealous and hit him in the face with the hoop. We tried to punish her by taking her toys away, but she kept levitating them back with magic, so we had to give up. They're growing up so fast!"

"Okay…" Twilight said. "How about you, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, just the usual. The animals are coming along so well in the summer heat. It's mating season for most of them, you know, so that's lots of new babies for me to take care of. It's a lot of work, but I'm doing just fine. How about you Twilight? I haven't seen you all week, ever since…well…"

"I lent you that book, right," Twilight said. "How is it, by the way?"

"Oh, I'm already done with it…" Fluttershy said.

"Wow, Fluttershy, you sure are a fast reader!" Twilight said.

"Hold on, hold on," Rarity said. "What book?" Fluttershy looked at Twilight and Pinkie Pie before turning to Rarity.

"It's a book about raising woodland creatures. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to make my job a little easier. It turns out I knew most of the things that were in there, and there was a lot of misinformation."

"That's too bad, Fluttershy," Twilight said, picking up on the white lie. "How about you, Applejack? How's the farm?"

"Just dandy," Applejack said. "Though we could use a little more rain fer the potatoes…"

"What did I tell you about the forecasts, AJ?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I just carry them out."

"You sure ya can't put in a special order for the farm?" Applejack asked. "Ah could return the favor with a barrel of cider for the weather team to share."

"We don't take bribes," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, what if ah told _you_ that if ya put in a good word, ah'll…" Applejack whispered something in Rainbow Dash's ear that made her heart skip a beat.

"I'll, um…see what I can do," Rainbow Dash said.

"What'd you tell her, AJ?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"None of yer business, ya blabbermouth," Applejack said.

"Hey! I'm the best secret-keeper around here!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Well, this secret's just between me and RD here, Pinkie Pie," Applejack said.

"Fine!" Pinkie Pie said with an exaggerated harrumph. Twilight looked at Applejack with confusion, but shrugged it off.

"Well, the weather's been just a breeze to handle this week, if anyone's asking," Rainbow Dash said, seeking as much attention as she could get.

"That's great," Applejack said. "How about your order, Rarity?"

"The stallion just paid me today!" Rarity said. "He came by in the morning, even though I had specified three o'clock, but he apologized profusely for being early. I told him that luckily I had finished the order last night, so he paid me for the tuxedo. He paid good money, too. He was quite the gentleman; thanked me kindly and gave me a kiss on the hoof." Twilight smirked, but the other ponies seemed impressed.

"Seems nice," Rainbow Dash said. "So, what, you gonna ask him out, or what?"

"That's hardly professional!" Rarity exclaimed. "Do you realize what kind of trouble I could get in for dating a client of mine?"

"But you already made him the tuxedo," Rainbow Dash said.

"He hasn't _worn_ it yet, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said, with the air of a teacher talking to a school filly who was having trouble mastering a new subject. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and smirked at Applejack, who reluctantly grinned back.

It was getting late, so the six friends gathered their pets and set off for home. They all trotted or flew in the general direction of their own homes, but once everypony was out of sight from each other, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash changed direction in order to follow Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack, respectively. Rainbow Dash caught up with Applejack first, and Applejack was surprised to see her.

"What do ya think yer doin', Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked.

"Well, we had so much fun earlier that I thought d we could do it again," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. Applejack returned the grin and tackled Rainbow Dash into the nearest bush.

Rarity was able to catch up to Twilight next. Twilight turned and smiled nervously when she saw her friend.

"Rarity, I thought I was going to set things up before you showed up," Twilight said.

"Well, there's no reason I can't help you with that," Rarity said. "Besides, if I go home and wait I'll be much too anxious. Is that all right?"

"I suppose…" Twilight said, her stomach squirming.

"Oh, dear, you don't need to look so nervous," she said. "This is going to be such fun!"

"Whatever you say, Rarity," Twilight said, "but I'm still going to be nervous."

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm nervous as well, but that doesn't mean we can't still do this."

"You're right, I suppose," Twilight admitted. "Let's see where this takes us."

Finally, Pinkie Pie managed to catch up to Fluttershy. The two of them grinned at each other but otherwise said nothing. When they finally arrived at Fluttershy's cottage and entered, Pinkie Pie smiled giddily.

"Oh, boy, now I get to be the one who gets punished!" she said.

"Pinkie Pie, um, I'm not sure if I made myself clear, but I don't feel comfortable being the sadist here. I'd much rather be punished."

"Oh, Fluttershy, doing the same thing every time is so _boring_. Once in a while, you gotta switch it up!"

"But, Pinkie Pie…"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to hurt you." Pinkie Pie now understood where Fluttershy was coming from, and she gave her a reassuring smile and came up with a plan.

"I've got an idea," Pinkie Pie said. "We'll come up with a safe word, so that if you're hurting me too much, we can stop. Does that sound okay?"

"I guess so…" Fluttershy said.

"Okay, the safety word is going to be, um…"

"Shouldn't it be 'stop'?" Fluttershy asked.

"Nah, it's gotta be something I wouldn't normally say when I'm being hurt. Um…how about 'Pinkamena'? I never use my full name."

"Sure, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said.

"Great! Then let's get started!" Pinkie Pie said.

Twilight and Rarity arrived at the library, which was closed on account of the pet play date. Twilight went around the library and shut all the curtains.

"Rarity, weren't you supposed to bring the wine?" Twilight asked.

"I was going to, but I remembered there's still some here from the slumber party that hasn't been used," Rarity said. She levitated the wine onto the kitchen table while Twilight found and lit some candles with her magic.

"Oh, dear," Rarity said, "this is perfect. It's so simple and elegant, why, it's exactly my style."

"Are you sure you don't want some music?" Twilight said.

"No, this is fine. I want the focus to be on us, not some artist like Katy Pony."

"Whatever you say, Rarity." The two unicorns sat down at the table. Twilight used her magic to pour each of them a glass of wine.

"So, um…" Twilight started to ask, "what do you have in mind?"

"Oh, um, to be honest, Twilight, I hadn't really thought about it," Rarity said. "I suppose some mutual touching is in order. I don't want the first time to be too rough. It should be sweet and delicate, like you, dear." Twilight knew Rarity meant well, but "sweet and delicate" weren't words she would use to describe herself.

"You're the boss, I guess," Twilight said.

"Dear, you should have a say in the matter, too, you know. Don't let me make all the decisions."

"But it sounds nice," Twilight said, which was an understatement. Her heart was bound to pound right out of its chest and she was tapping her hind leg anxiously.

"Well, if you think so, then I won't say no." Twilight refilled the wine glasses, as they were running low. As they drank, they started to share stories about their work. Twilight told of some library patrons that rented dirty books, and Rarity shared secrets about her most esteemed clientele.

"So I asked him why he needed the suit," Rarity said, "and he told me, I kid you not, that he was meeting his mistress at a hotel and wanted to look nice!"

"His mistress?" Twilight asked, laughing hysterically.

"Can you believe he flat out told me? If he lived in Ponyville, I would have found his wife and told her everything! Lucky bastard," she added. The two of them laughed deeply and then looked into each other's eyes, sighing. Twilight couldn't help but think to herself how romantic this was.

"Well, I think that's enough of the wine, dear," Rarity said.

"Are you saying that…?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Rarity said, "it's time to begin."


	8. It Is Time

**Chapter 8: It Is Time**

Spike was sitting by himself at the mountain in which the dragon colony lived, feeling lonesome and homesick. Bizarre dreams involving his pony friends kept cropping up in the middle of the night, including one particularly gruesome one with Fluttershy whacking Pinkie Pie in the rump with a paddle. Confused and lonely, he wondered if he shouldn't leave the colony, head to the nearest town, and write Princess Celestia desperately asking for an escort back to Ponyville. But Twilight had told him this would be good for him, and he wasn't one to directly undercut his…what was the word he was looking for? Owner implied that he was a pet. Mistress and boss both implied subservience, which wasn't quite right either. Spike went with the phrase "best friend" for now, even though it didn't capture the essence of their relationship.

Spike groaned, feeling foolish for letting himself get worried over semantics. That was something Twilight was apt to do during one of her "episodes."

_Snap out of it, Spike!_ he told himself sternly. _You've gotta get your head in the game._

"Um…hello?" a voice said softly. Spike turned around to see a girl dragon around his age rocking on her feet and looking coyly at him. Momentarily dumbfounded, Spike quickly recovered his senses enough to properly introduce himself.

"Hi there, I'm Spike. Who are you?"

"My name is Ruby," the dragon said, and the name certainly matched the color of her scales and her eyes, both of which were a bright red. Her approach reminded Spike of Fluttershy when Twilight first met her.

"Hey there, Ruby, you're not gonna make fun of me, are you?"

"What? No no no, of course not! It's just that my brother Topaz was saying things about you and making fun of you, but what he said was so fascinating that I had to learn more about you. Are you really Twilight Sparkle's assistant?"

"Well…yeah, I am."

"Oh, wow! Then you must know Fluttershy!" she said, her excitement briefly overcoming her shyness.

"I do…but what exactly are you getting at?" Spike asked.

"She's the one who told Daddy off when he was sleeping on that mountain!"

"That was your dad causing all that smoke?" Spike asked, wondering how small a world Equestria was.

"It sure was! See, he and Mommy fight a lot and he was really sad, so he thought taking a nap would help him forget his problems. Turns out Fluttershy had other plans for him."

"Seriously, that's really your dad? Isn't he really tough and strong?"

"On the outside, he is, and he does show up the other males, especially when they go after his treasures. But he's really a softie, especially when it comes to women. Whenever Mommy starts yelling at him he just cowers and takes it." Ruby leveled a tone of disgust subconsciously as she said this, which Spike struck as odd. "What about your parents? What are they like?"

"Actually, I don't know my parents," Spike said. "Twilight's raised me since I was born. Do you want to hear the story of my whole life?"

"Not all at once," Ruby said, laughing. "I heard that about Fluttershy, too. She must really like you."

"Yeah, all of Twilight's friends like me," Spike said, but it was with a tone of sadness which Ruby caught.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I guess I just miss my friends," Spike said. "Twilight said it would be good for me to meet some more of my own kind, but I'm just so used to being around ponies that I feel like a stranger here. Everyone here makes fun of me, too, which isn't helping. It really sucks."

"Well, until you met me, right?" Ruby asked.

"Huh? Well, I guess so. You're not too bad." Ruby beamed, and Spike returned a flustered grin.

"Well," Ruby said, leaning in close, "between you and me, rumor has it that you've got a crush on a pony. Everyone here thinks that's weird, but you've been around ponies your whole life, so I don't blame you. Imagine growing up with, say, a bunch of minotaurs as if they were family. Wouldn't you eventually fall for a minotaur?"

"I never thought of it that way," Spike said. "All that stuff about the crush is…well, it's true. Ever hear of a pony named Rarity?"

"I think I've heard the name. She's a friend of Twilight's and Fluttershy's, right?"

"The very same," Spike said. "Oh, Ruby, you have no idea, she's so elegant and sophisticated and pretty. I can't begin to explain how wonderful she is! I just didn't know rumors like that spread this far."

"You're a pretty famous dragon, Spike. You were raised by one of the ponies who represent the Elements of Harmony, after all! A dragon being raised by ponies is one thing, but to be raised by ponies that have saved Equestria _twice_, that's quite another."

"Well, if I'm so impressive," Spike said with a bite of sarcasm, "why is everyone making fun of me?"

"I think they're just jealous," Ruby said. "Personally, I think you're cute and I think your story is fascinating."

"You think I'm…cute?" Spike asked. Ruby suddenly blushed, which was almost unnoticeable given her bright red body, but Spike still caught on to it.

"Yeah, I suppose. Purple's my favorite color, you know. Ironic, huh?"

"Well, you're not too bad yourself. You remind me of Twilight. You seem very smart."

"Thank you! Dragons don't usually participate in education, but I've been trying to teach myself to read ever since I first saw a book."

"Really? Twilight taught me how to read and write just fine. I never knew that."

"You can read _and_ write? I'm so jealous. You must teach me how!"

"Hey!" called a snarky voice. The voice belonged to a dragon longer and lankier than both Spike and Ruby, and the pale yellow complexion gave away that this must be Ruby's older brother, Topaz. "What are you doing hanging around with a pansy like that, Ruby?"

"He's not a pansy, Topaz. Spike is a fascinating dragon, and it's unfair of you to treat him like garbage."

"Ooh, sticking up for the new blood, huh? Does somebody have a wittle cwush?"

"Stop it, Topaz!" Ruby cried, blushing even more.

"Hey, everybody! My sister likes the pansy!" The dragons all started laughing at Ruby and Spike. Ruby started to cry and ran off, with Spike desperately following her. The laughter of the other dragons gradually faded as the two outcasts made their way down the mountainside.

"I'm really sorry, Ruby," he said to the dragon who had tears streaming down her face. Ruby sniffled and accepted Spike's hand rubbing her shoulder.

"Why do they have to be so mean, Spike?" Ruby asked. "Don't they know who you are?"

"Ah, they're just jealous, like you said. Don't let them get to you."

"Okay, I'll try," Ruby said, wiping away her tears. "I'm a mess…"

"You look fine to me," Spike said. Ruby sniffled and laughed before letting Spike hold her. The two were graciously not heckled anymore, and so they shared the privacy of the mountainside to themselves.

"So…um, how does this work, exactly?" Fluttershy asked through the stick in her mouth. Pinkie Pie had made her bring it in from outside, as they hadn't been able to gather any toys.

"Simple! You just say mean things to me and hit me with the stick," Pinkie Pie said.

"I don't know, Pinkie, I don't want to hurt you…" Fluttershy said. This was not making her feel comfortable at all. Pinkie Pie giggled with that adorable snort of hers, took the stick from Fluttershy, and whacked her in the side with it.

"Ow! What are you doing?" Fluttershy asked, shocked and not a little bit aroused.

"Just showing you how much it hurts, so you won't be afraid to give it all you've got. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"It still stings," Fluttershy said, "but I guess it's not so bad…"

"Well, then, what are you waiting for? Give it to me!" Pinkie Pie said, turning around, bending over, and wiggling her rump at Fluttershy. Fluttershy smiled and had to admit that Pinkie Pie had a nice, round ass.

"Excuse me?" Fluttershy asked, struggling to find the proper tone.

"What is it, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked, turning her head and looking a little concerned.

"Oh, sorry, it's just that you shouldn't be so enthusiastic about me 'giving it' to you. See, I'm not 'giving' anything. You're 'taking' it, whether you want it or not." Pinkie Pie understood that Fluttershy was trying to become a dominatrix, and had to stifle a giggle so as not to offend her. Fluttershy hesitated and took a swing with the stick, but she missed and fell to the floor. Pinkie Pie had to start laughing, snorting hysterically the more she tried to hold back. Fluttershy looked utterly dismayed.

"How do you make it look so easy?" Fluttershy asked as Pinkie Pie helped her off the floor.

"It's just like acting in the Hearth's Warming Eve play. You've just gotta get in character."

"But that was a lot easier, as the character was so like me…" Fluttershy said.

"Remember what Iron Will told you? He tried to teach you to be assertive, and you turned into…well, you became…"

"A bitch?" Fluttershy offered.

"Sure, let's go with that," Pinkie Pie said, giggling nervously. "All you gotta do is channel that inner bitch of yours, and you should do this no problem! Here we go!" Pinkie Pie turned and bent over once again. Fluttershy picked up the stick and started again, firmer this time.

"Don't be so excited. This isn't supposed to be _fun_, at least, not for you." Fluttershy took a swing and hit Pinkie Pie in the rump. It wasn't a particularly hard hit, but Pinkie Pie definitely felt it and she was ready for more.

"That's it, Fluttershy," she whispered. Smack went the stick.

"Don't speak unless…unless spoken to!" Fluttershy said. She hit Pinkie Pie with the stick again.

"Oof! That one hurt a little," Pinkie Pie said. Another whack of the stick came, harder this time.

"Don't insult your mistress," Fluttershy warned. She hit Pinkie Pie a few more times for good measure, making sure to aim at the spots that were becoming raw. Pinkie Pie felt so humiliated, so pained, so _horny_. It was a wonderful feeling she thought she would never get to experience.

"Beg me to stop," Fluttershy said.

"What?" Smack!

"Beg me to stop," Fluttershy said more menacingly.

"Um…stop?" Pinkie Pie asked, knowing full well what was coming. Smack went the stick once again.

"Louder," Fluttershy whispered.

"Stop," Pinkie Pie said. Whack!

"Louder."

"Stop." Thwack!

"LOUDER!"

"STOP!" Pinkie Pie kept crying out and Fluttershy kept hitting her with the stick until she actually started tearing up with the pain. Fluttershy held nothing back now, this feeling of power had intoxicated her and she was unwilling to relent. Only after seeing a small droplet of blood did she come to her senses. She immediately dropped the stick in horror and rushed to get a bandage.

"Where are you going?" Pinkie Pie asked. She was surprised to see the blood dripping on the floor and inwardly congratulated Fluttershy for performing so well. Fluttershy returned with the bandage and applied it to Pinkie Pie's wound. Pinkie Pie smiled once Fluttershy looked at her with the most apologetic stare she could muster.

"You were great, Fluttershy," Pinkie Pie said. "I've never been this horny in my life!"

"I'm really sorry…" Fluttershy said.

"How sorry?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh, Mama's so sorry she hurt you," Fluttershy said, becoming a different character now, one she frequently used with Angel. Fluttershy kissed the wound gently before moving to other parts of Pinkie Pie's rump, as Pinkie Pie had done with her. Pinkie Pie's eyes rolled up in delight as she felt the tingling sensation of Fluttershy's lips move up her thighs. Fluttershy, feeling emboldened and wanting to make up for her harsh treatment of Pinkie Pie, politely spread Pinkie Pie's hind legs open. There in plain view was Pinkie Pie's vagina, moist with the juices of her excitement and practically throbbing with desire. Fluttershy gave it a sensitive taste with her tongue, hoping she wasn't moving too fast. Pinkie Pie shivered in shock, which caused Fluttershy to second-guess herself.

"Oh, Fluttershy, keep going, please! That feels _so_ good!" Fluttershy, confident once again that she was doing the right thing, started licking Pinkie Pie's clitoris. She gave it kisses and enveloped it with her tongue, tasting the sweet fluid that was discharging from Pinkie Pie's loins. Pinkie Pie started stamping the floor with her hind leg, trying to keep herself from moaning, but a small squeal came out as Fluttershy gave her clitoris a playful nibble. This turned Fluttershy on, so she started sucking on Pinkie Pie's vagina.

"Oh Celestia, Fluttershy, you're gonna make me…you're gonna make me…" Pinkie Pie groaned as she could feel her hind legs begin to tighten. Fluttershy held them open with her hooves and kept licking at Pinkie Pie until she could taste a sudden discharge of fluid entering her mouth.

At that moment, as Pinkie Pie squealed and Fluttershy moaned, Angel walked into the room, saw what the two ponies were up to, shook his head, and walked right back out, not bothering to question what was going on.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the bushes, making out as the mosquitos began to buzz around them. They took no notice of them, even when they started biting. The two ponies were so caught up in each other's mouths that they noticed nothing about their surroundings.

Rainbow Dash moaned as Applejack slipped her her wide tongue. Rainbow Dash could feel the Stetson poking at her mane, and so whipped it off of Applejack without breaking free of her sweet lips. The ponies moved in closer to each other, hooves wrapped around each other's necks, sucking each other so fiercely that it sounded like they were trying to eat each other. Rainbow Dash suddenly leaned her weight against Applejack so that they fell into the bushes.

"Hold on, partner," Applejack said, reluctantly breaking away from the kiss. "What exactly do ya have in mind?"

"Don't be a buzz-kill, AJ," Rainbow Dash said. "Let's just see where this goes."

"Fine by me." The two wrapped their bodies around each other as they kissed deeply. Rainbow Dash could feel Applejack's heart beating against her own, felt herself start to sweat with excitement, the mugginess in the air clinging to her hair like a warm blanket. The prickly bushes were leaving clumps in the two ponies, but they ignored this as well, so wrapped up in each other were they. Feeling frisky, Rainbow Dash put her forearm in between Applejack's legs and started to rub at her vagina.

"Whoa, nelly," Applejack said.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked, feeling disappointed.

"Oh, it's not you, Sugarcube. Let me just take out mah hair tie." Applejack pulled at her hair tie and tossed it next to the Stetson, whipping her head to free her loosened mane. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but notice how sexy her marefriend looked.

"Keep doin' what yer doin', RD. It feels mighty nice." Rainbow Dash grinned and started kissing and rubbing Applejack with fervor. Applejack started to moan as she could feel her pussy begin to drip with ecstasy. Rainbow Dash rubbed harder and harder until she could feel the fluid on her hoof, then suddenly lifted her hoof away and towards Applejack's mouth.

"Taste it, I want you to taste it," Rainbow Dash huffed.

"Whoa, kinky," Applejack said, but she opened her mouth and sucked on Rainbow Dash's hoof.

"Well, golly!" Applejack said. "Tastes just like apples, believe it or not."

"Whoa, really?" Rainbow Dash asked. She rubbed Applejack's clitoris again until she felt more fluid on her hoof, then took a taste for herself.

"Oh, dear Celestia, that's better than cider…" she whispered.

"Ah'm flattered. Now come here, you, it's time to return the favor." Applejack started to rub Rainbow Dash's vagina as they began to kiss again, tasting the juicy mixture of saliva and fluid from each other's mouth. Rainbow Dash, who was quick to start dripping, felt fluid leave her body. Applejack took away her hoof and beckoned for Rainbow Dash to open her mouth.

"Just take a lick. Ah wanna see fer myself when yer done." Rainbow Dash did so, and smacked her lips.

"Pinkie Pie was right. That _is_ spicy!" Rainbow Dash said. Applejack stuck her hoof in her mouth and tried the juice herself.

"Sweet Apple Acres, yer right! That's some mighty fine juice you got pumpin' there, RD." The two lay next to each other and sighed, feeling that they'd earned a breather. Applejack nuzzled against Rainbow Dash's shoulder, and Rainbow Dash wrapped a hoof around her neck as they watched the sky slowly grow dark.

"Ah never realized how beautiful the settin' sun was until that first time we watched it together…" Applejack said.

"Yeah…" Rainbow Dash said, lost in a trance of contentment. Applejack looked at her and smiled.

"Why can't we just stay like this, RD?" she asked. "Ah mean, isn't this just the perfect moment, just the two of us, watchin' the stars come out? There's so much to do and so little time in a day and ah just want―" Rainbow Dash put a hoof against her mouth.

"Just enjoy it," she said, and Applejack was surprised by her sudden eloquence. Applejack did as told, and the two of them watched the stars slowly come out as Luna raised the night.

Though Rarity had said it was time to begin, the two ponies looked at each other awkwardly and smiled, not sure where to start.

"Well, um…" Twilight offered. "We should go to my room, shouldn't we…?"

"Oh, of course, dear. However could I forget?" The two trotted as slowly as possible to Twilight's room to avoid starting what was to be a very strange rendezvous. They arrived at the bed and looked at it nervously. Twilight gulped and climbed up into the bed, slowly beckoning Rarity next to her. Rarity followed Twilight and lay next to her.

"Um…now what?" Twilight asked.

"Shut the blinds, first, dear," Rarity said. "We don't want all of Ponyville watching us lay in bed together, do we?" Twilight used her magic to close the blinds, sending the room into darkness. The two unicorns faced each other and grinned nervously.

"Should I…should I hold you, first?" Twilight asked.

"If you want to, Twilight." Rarity said. Rarity offered her back and Twilight wrapped her forearms around her, snuggling up against her. Twilight could feel the heat radiating from Rarity's back and became instantly aroused. Her horn began to tingle delicately.

"I can feel that," Rarity said.

"Feel what?"

"Your horn, dear, it's starting to glow, is it not?"

"Um…yeah, it is."

"Then we must be doing the right thing."

"I…suppose we are."

"Oh, Twilight, I can't stand it any longer!" Rarity cried, turning to face Twilight again. "I _want_ you."

"R-really?" Twilight asked.

"Darling, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this. Ever since you told me how you felt I've been wrestling with these desires, and now that we're so close they're screaming out louder than ever! I want to roll with you, Twilight, feel your body on top of mine. Will you satiate me?"

"You want to do this now?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, dear! Tell me you want the same thing," Rarity said, beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea.

"Oh, Rarity, don't get me wrong, I do. It's just that…well, it's my first time, but it's more than that, it's…I don't feel so good."

"What's wrong, dear?" Rarity asked, concerned. Twilight sighed.

"It's just that I feel really lousy about myself all the time, and some little voice in my head keeps telling me that I don't deserve you."

"Twilight, that's absurd! You're gifted, charming, powerful, and beautiful, yes, beautiful, and believe me, I should be able to tell whether a mare possesses beauty. It is I who should be wondering if I deserve you."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, dear."

"Well, that's not the only thing that's bothering me…"

"What else is it, Twilight?"

_That voice_, Twilight thought, _it sounds an awful lot like my_―

"Forget it. I don't think I want to do this anymore," Twilight said, starting to rise off of the bed. Rarity caught her with her horn and levitated her back onto the bed.

"Twilight, no! We've come this far and it's too late to back out now. This is going to happen tonight, and I wouldn't be forcing it if I didn't think you wanted this as badly as I did. So, to be blunt, are you going to fuck me or not?" Rarity's force, rather than pushing Twilight away, made Twilight feel ever more attracted to her. She liked this feeling of compulsion driving her to her much desired goal, the conquest of this most beautiful of mares. _Spike has good taste_, Twilight thought.

"Is this it?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, dear," Rarity said. "It is time." With that, Twilight and Rarity shared their first ever passionate kiss. Deep into each other's mouths their tongues crawled, and both of their horns were shimmering now, casting magenta and pale blue glows in the room. Twilight pressed her chest against Rarity's, and daringly started massaging Rarity's leg with her own.

Rarity moaned her approval and spread her legs open to wrap one around Twilight's. Twilight could feel the heat now, stronger than ever, radiating from Rarity's loins. This heat surged through Twilight and motivated her to take Rarity, lay her on her stomach, and mount her.

"Oh my," Rarity said. "You really do want this, don't you?"

"Are you ready, Rarity?" Twilight asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Rarity responded. Twilight thrust and felt her vagina connect with Rarity's own. Maintaining the connection, Twilight thrust repeatedly against Rarity's rump. The clitorises made dull slapping sounds as they rubbed together, and Rarity let out some admittedly undignified moans as Twilight pleasured her. Twilight's horn was throbbing now, so she used her magic to spread open and rub Rarity's thighs, maximizing the pleasure. Twilight grunted as she continued to thrust, and Rarity's moans became squeals.

"Twilight, that's it, that's the spot, right there…" Rarity said. "Oh, sweet Celestia, right there!" Twilight continued to thrust, but after one thrust she started rubbing against Rarity in a circular motion.

"Of all the things you could be doing," Rarity said, "this is the, best, possible, thing!"

"Thank you…Rarity…" Twilight said between grunts, and suddenly she felt a splash of fluid release against her crotch. Twilight took this as a sign to stop, and show she slowly dismounted Rarity and collapsed onto the sheets, energy spent.

"I hope you're not too tired, dear," Rarity whispered into her ear, nibbling it, "because now it's my turn. On your stomach, chop chop." Twilight did as she was told and spread her hind legs open for good measure.

"Hmm…" Rarity thought. "Why don't I get you warmed up first? Does that sound good?" Twilight was already burning up, but she knew the anticipation that delayed gratification brought was too juicy to pass up. Twilight nodded, and Rarity started kissing Twilight's cutie mark. Twilight knew that this area was sensitive, but as Rarity kissed it surges of sexual energy coursed through Twilight's veins and caused her horn to glow brightly, casting pink light across the room.

"You like that, huh?" Rarity asked. "Yes, you do…" she said as she kissed Twilight's thighs. Closer and closer to Twilight's pussy she kissed, until she was hovering right above it.

"Do it!" Twilight cried in spite of herself.

"Do what?" Rarity asked, feigning innocence.

"Lick it…" Twilight whispered.

"Like this, you mean?" Rarity asked, giving Twilight's clitoris a tentative lick.

"More…" Twilight moaned.

"If you insist," Rarity said, and she started licking Twilight's clitoris. Twilight cried out in delight as fluids began to seep from her nether region. Rarity tasted the juice, and was surprised to find it was light and crisp, exactly how she thought a shooting star might taste as it streaked across her tongue. Rarity continued to lick until she was satisfied with the taste, and then she mounted Twilight and started to thrust, rubbing both cutie marks with her hooves. Twilight pounded the bed with her hoof as she screamed in delight. Rarity took the cue to thrust faster, and Twilight started panting in rhythm.

"Yes, yes, yes, oh Celestia, yes!" Twilight cried. Rarity continued to thrust, using her glowing horn to send ripples of energy through Twilight's vagina.

"Oh, Rarity, whatever it is you're doing, don't stop!" Twilight pleaded.

"I don't intend to!" Rarity cried between grunts as she ravaged her friend. Faster and faster she thrust until she was absolutely spent. She collapsed on top of Twilight and kissed her cheek softly. Twilight turned her head and kissed Rarity's lips softly.

"That was great," she said.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did," Rarity said.

"Oh no, I think I enjoyed it more," Twilight said with a sneer.

"That's debatable," Rarity countered. "You're quite the lover, Twilight Sparkle."

"As are you," Twilight responded. "I'm glad we did this, Rarity."

"Me too," Rarity said with a nod, "me too."

Princess Celestia, now done with her royal duties for the day, was relaxing in her luxurious bed. She had sent the guards away, turned out all the lights, and tucked herself in. Ensuring that nopony else was watching, she levitated from beneath the mattress the latest edition of Playmare, for which only the mail carrier Derpy Hooves knew she had subscribed. Princess Celestia opened to the centerfold, which featured a gorgeous chestnut unicorn holding his erect penis in his hoof. Celestia slowly lowered her hoof to her own private area beneath the blankets.

Outside the room, Princess Luna peeked into the keyhole, wondering what her sister was up to. She stared, open-mouthed and in shock, when she saw Princess Celestia start to clop.


	9. An Awful Lot like Love

**Chapter 9: An Awful Lot like Love**

Twilight and Rarity, exhausted from their love-making, lay next to each other on Twilight's bed, staring at each other and smiling.

"So," Twilight asked, "what did you think of our little 'experiment?'"

"Well, dear, it was ever more delightful than I imagined it would be. No offense to you, of course, I don't mean that I didn't expect to be as pleasured as I did. I just never thought a mare could do things like that to me before."

"Me neither," Twilight said, "but for me, at least, amongst all the mares I know, it's only you who triggers my arousal. Do you even know what that means?"

"It doesn't mean you're bisexual?" Rarity asked.

"I don't think so. If I were bisexual, then I think Playcolt would turn me on, wouldn't it? Isn't that magazine designed to turn on ponies that like mares, whether they're colts or mares themselves?"

"Have you ever seen a copy of Playcolt?" Rarity asked. "Otherwise, how would you know?"

"Please don't breathe a word of this to Spike, but I caught him sneaking one in once while wearing a disguise. I swore to him I wouldn't say anything, and I know if Pinkie Pie were here she'd start scolding me fiercely, but I did take a look at it and nothing really interested me."

"Oh," Rarity said, "then I suppose you wouldn't be bisexual then. That is odd, but I'm certain I feel the same way you do. I don't generally find mares attractive either. But you…er…I mean, what you were doing was just…so incredible, honestly, it was. I don't think any other mare could make me feel the same way that you can."

"That's sweet of you to say, Rarity," Twilight said, "but I'm sure _somepony_ can do way better than me."

"What makes you think that, Twilight? After all, you are the most magical unicorn in Equestria. I'm certain that magic helped in the bedroom just now."

"I might be more magical compared to Trixie, but her tricks are all for show, anyway," Twilight said. "There are surely other unicorns that know way more powerful magic. I mean, you should have seen all the spells in the time travel section of the Canterlot library. No way a pony like me could have come up with all of that; it had to come from somepony more powerful."

"Yes, dear, but you told me all those manuscripts were ancient, some even older than Starswirl the Bearded. When it comes to living ponies, I think you're only bested by Princesses Celestia and Luna themselves, and technically they're alicorns. That makes you the most powerful unicorn in Equestria."

"That's strange," Twilight said, "because sometimes I feel so powerless."

"Whatever do you mean, Twilight?" Rarity asked in shock.

"I don't know…it's just that I get really down on myself, especially when I make mistakes, and I don't think I'm pretty at all. I mean, compared to you, I'm hideous! And don't even get me started on my lack of social skills. I didn't even have real friends before you and the others! I treated Spike like my servant instead of my assistant! My best friend growing up was an old rag doll named Smarty Pants! I mean, isn't there something wrong with a pony who can't make friends when she's young? Doesn't that mean there's something wrong with me now?"

"Twilight, dear, you must stop this nonsense talk!" Rarity cried. "You are the Element of Magic. You admitted yourself that magic was your specialty. Look at everything you've accomplished! You helped save Equestria from eternal night and eternal chaos, you successfully organized Winter Wrap Up, you vanquished an Ursa Minor, you performed wonderfully as the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, and you saved your brother's wedding from those dreadful changelings! Need I go on?"

"I think I get the point, Rarity, but don't you see? Despite having accomplished all those things, I still feel like I'm worth nothing. I mean, what's wrong with me that I can't see everything I've done and be happy about it? I'm always driven to do more, to achieve more, but to what end? And why do I have to beat myself up in order to do it?"

"Twilight, Twilight, you're getting far too much into your own head about this whole thing. Believe me, if you were as worthless as you said, you'd still have no friends, and you wouldn't have accomplished such wonderful things. You're Princess Celestia's star pupil for a reason, my dear."

"I suppose…" Twilight said.

"You 'suppose?' Twilight, you're acting ridiculous, if I do say so myself. You need your self-confidence back!"

"And how am I going to get it back, Rarity? What can I do?"

"You can start by accepting that your friends all love you, that I love you, and that I am proud to be your lover."

"Lover…?"

"We are lovers now, aren't we?"

"I guess we are lovers by definition…"

"Twilight."

"What?"

"Tell me we didn't just share the most sacred of bonds and you felt nothing." Rarity was trying hard not to tear up, she was so frustrated and sorry for her struggling friend, but being so bland about the lovemaking that they had shared was pushing it too far.

"Rarity, I…it's so hard to explain. I…I really liked what we did together, but…I don't know, in the middle I just got kind of…distant."

"What?" Rarity asked, a teardrop sliding down her cheek.

"It was that voice I was telling you about, Rarity. It was trying to pull me away…"

"Yes, but we put a stop to that voice, did we not?" Rarity asked between sniffles. Twilight looked at her friend and started tearing up as well.

"I did my best to fight it, and I beat it this time and really did enjoy everything we did. But I just know it's going to come back. It's already starting to come back, even as we speak. That voice that tells me I'm not good enough has been there for as long as I can remember."

"Twilight, that's positively dreadful," Rarity said. "Whatever shall we do about it?"

"'We?' What do you mean 'we?' It's my problem; I should be the one to deal with it."

"There must be something about this 'lover' thing that you don't get, Twilight Sparkle. Whatever problems arise, we're in this together, and we will solve our problems as a team."

"I beg your pardon, Rarity, but aren't you taking this a little far?" Twilight asked. "I mean, I thought this was all about having fun and releasing that heat of yours."

"I thought so, too, at first," Rarity said, "but I just feel so much closer to you now, Twilight Sparkle. Not that I wasn't close to you before, but I can feel the difference in my heart. I want so badly to help you with this voice of yours, really, you've no idea how greatly it upsets me." Another teardrop fell, and Twilight thought she had some idea how upset her friend was.

"Tell you what," Twilight said. "Let's distract ourselves from this whole 'Twilight's head is messed up' issue. I'm all rested, and there was something else I wanted to try."

"Ooh," Rarity said, suddenly feeling a tingling sensation in her stomach. "What did you have in mind?" Twilight whispered something in her ear that made her quiver.

"Well, let's not dilly-dally. Let's get right to it!"

Applejack and Rainbow Dash, though they had fun, reluctantly had to part ways. Applejack had a family she needed to go home to, and Rainbow Dash couldn't follow without arousing some suspicion. Therefore, the two ponies parted ways as the night grew dark, and both felt adrenaline pumping through their veins in response to their intense excitement and arousal.

Applejack sprinted as hard as she could towards Sweet Apple Acres for two reasons. One was the boundless energy she seemed to acquire after Rainbow Dash had touched her. The other was running, running away from the imagined judgments of her family. If they found out what she had done with Rainbow Dash! Applejack checked her front hooves to make sure they were clean of all juices, spicy or sweet. _All clear_, Applejack said to herself.

A fluttering feeling made her heart quiver thinking about Rainbow Dash. In truth, it had been there for a long time, ever since she had gotten to know the blue mare after the mare had crash-landed into an apple tree that fateful day of their first meeting. Applejack didn't know what to think of it, and didn't dare ask anyone aside from Rainbow Dash what it was. She didn't want anypony to know of her new relationship, for fear of judgment and confusion from the other ponies. Sure, Rarity had kissed her and Pinkie Pie had kissed Rainbow Dash's vagina, so her friends' sexuality certainly transgressed most societal boundaries. But experimenting with friends in a Truth or Dare game was one thing; full-on lesbianism was something else entirely. Applejack knew this was more than just a game. This felt an awful lot like something else…

Applejack remembered a crush she'd had on a travelling salespony when she was a young filly. The pony, who for some reason traveled across Equestria to sell watches, had managed to swindle Applejack out of a lot of money as she bought watches for the extended Apple family. That salespony had taken advantage of her, and ever since that day she learned to think with her head over her heart.

Now Rainbow Dash was challenging everything she believed.

This was far more than just a crush on an older pony. This felt like something deeper, more compassionate, and more intense. Applejack hesitated to use the one word that perfectly described this resonant emotion. But the more she thought about it as she sprinted home, the clearer it became, until she finally greeted her family and went off to bed that night.

This was starting to feel an awful lot like love.

Rainbow Dash was flying so fast her eyes were watering, but this energy in her bounded through her and compelled her forward like a rocket. There was no way she could not fly, the way she felt right now. It was the only tool she had to express her feelings, aside from screaming into the night sky.

On the surface was the excitement of her fun with Applejack. It had been much sweeter and more satisfying than anything she had done on her own or with that colt from flight school. This newfound sexual excitement was a new experience that exhilarated and terrified her all at the same time.

But deep beneath the surface was something else entirely, something so haunting that her brain refused to delve deep enough to reason what it was. Whatever was going on within her, it was dark enough that her brain was telling her to fly, to fly fast and fly far. Rainbow Dash dared not sit still long enough to examine what it was. In fact, to some extent, she had been doing this her whole life, always trying to fly faster, always trying to go, always trying to be on, always trying to get attention, because if the world didn't love her, than how could she love herself?

_Don't think about that_, Rainbow Dash said to herself as she soared so fast that the clouds began to blur together. Over the cloud line she scored, higher and higher until she could clearly make out the moon in the upper sky above her. The sight of the moon, normally a calming beacon of light, now seemed to be mocking Rainbow Dash, so she decided it was best to sink below the clouds to avoid its penetrating gaze. Rainbow Dash shuddered at the illusion of being watched―no, more than just watched, but observed and exposed.

Rainbow Dash finally arrived at her cloud house, but she was so frightened to sit still and try to go to bed that she did laps around the house. Fatigue was overcoming her adrenaline, starting to drain her excitement and fear, and beneath that was not despair but exhaustion. She knew if she kept this up that she could just collapse onto her bed and pass out, and this was indeed the goal. Faster and faster she sped around the house, so fast she was worried that she might permanently disfigure its cloudy shape. She arched away from the house as she sped in circles, imagining Applejack's tongue in her mouth and hoof in her groin, and the excitement almost made her want to slow and clop. But then the badness would come, and Rainbow Dash wasn't sure why it was so prevalent all of a sudden, so she decided not to do that.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was only minutes, Rainbow Dash flew into her bedroom, collapsed onto the bed, and instantly passed out. Her dreams were filled with dark images of Applejack pointing at her and laughing darkly, until a frightening caricature of Discord leaned back and attacked Rainbow Dash by clawing her eyes out. Rainbow Dash awoke with a start and, finally conscious and not running, felt that bad feeling overwhelm her.

She felt like a weight was holding her to her bed, and her thoughts were racing so fast that they didn't make sense, and her heart was pounding as if she were speeding through the skies but she wasn't moving a muscle. This overwhelming despair shook her, made her think she would never be good enough for Applejack or anypony else, and that she was a selfish lover who was taking advantage of her Earth pony friend.

_It's not true!_ Rainbow Dash told herself. _I like Applejack!_

_You think Applejack is hot, that's not the same thing._

_But that's what gets you in the door, isn't it?_

_ Tell yourself that, Rainbow Dash. See if that makes it better._

_ I promised myself I wouldn't listen to you anymore._

_ As Pinkie Pie would say, promises can be broken. You've broken plenty of promises in the past._

_ I don't want to think about that. You get out of my head and stay out of my life._

_ Silly, it's just you, Rainbow Dash. It always has been._

Rainbow Dash groaned and fell into an uncomfortable sleep, secretly hoping she wouldn't have to wake up and face her own thoughts the next day.

Fluttershy finally stopped licking Pinkie Pie and took her into her room so they could relax after their roleplaying. Pinkie Pie was giggling and snorting the whole time as she followed Fluttershy into her room.

"What's so funny?" Fluttershy asked with a smile; Pinkie Pie's laughter was infectious.

"Nothing. I just had so much fun today, and I was just thinking of doing that all again."

"Well, I don't want to do anything else right now," Fluttershy said, "I just want to relax."

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie Pie said. "Whatever you say, mistress."

"Pinkie Pie, you don't have to call me that anymore. We're done having fun."

"Oh, but it's so nice to have somepony else in control of me. It's relaxing for a change."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Pinkie Pie said, and she honestly thought that was true. In reality, something felt very off inside of her, but she was unaware of this issue. Fluttershy giggled.

"What was your favorite part?" she asked.

"Well, duh, obviously when you started licking my pinkie pie!" Pinkie Pie laughed at her own joke. Fluttershy laughed, too; it was pretty funny.

"So, do you want to get anypony else involved?" Pinkie Pie asked. "A threesome would be super-duper exciting, don't you think?"

"What?" Fluttershy asked, not sure if she had heard Pinkie Pie correcting. "I thought this was our secret."

"Oh, of course!" Pinkie Pie said. "Don't worry; I'm good at keeping secrets. I guess I just thought it would be more kinky if we got somepony else involved, and the kinkier the better, don't you think?"

"Kinky is good," Fluttershy said, "but there are plenty of kinky things we can do alone, just the two of us."

"Like what?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Like this," Fluttershy said. Feeling emboldened, she kissed Pinkie Pie and wrapped her hind legs around her chest, thrusting into her as roughly as she could. Pinkie Pie started to laugh in between the kisses.

"That tickles!" she gasped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm chest-humping you, of course," Fluttershy said. "It was in the book in the Positions chapter. It's supposed to hurt a little if you do it right."

"I don't see how that could be," Pinkie Pie said. "It just tickles to me. What other things are in that chapter about positions?"

"Oh, my, there's all sorts of weird things. A lot of them require a stallion, but apparently there are stores that sell 'strap-ons.' I'm not exactly sure what they are, but they're supposed to be shaped like penises. The diagrams in the book don't look like penises at all, but that's just me."

"Can I see?" Pinkie Pie asked. Fluttershy left the bed and returned with the book. She flipped to the index, located "strap-on," and flipped to the appropriate page in the text. Pinkie Pie saw the diagrams and chortled.

"Those are way too big to be penises! I mean, I'm sure Applejack's brother isn't even that big, and they call him Big Macintosh for a reason."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy said, her cheeks blushing. It's not like she hadn't noticed Big Macintosh's hunky body before…

"Oh, those are just silly rumors. There's all kinds of rumors about the Apple family, since they were the founders of Ponyville and all. Between you and me, some ponies think Applejack's a filly-fooler."

"What?"

"I know, right?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I think that's a lot of hooey, myself, but it's still an interesting thought, isn't it? Imagine if it were true!"

"I don't know if I can…" thought Fluttershy.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Applejack's such a down-to-Earth Earth pony. It's hard to imagine her marrying another mare, isn't it?"

"It is…" Fluttershy thought, remembering that kiss Applejack shared with Rarity.

"Oh well! Mind if I take a nap? All that role-playing's tired me out."

"Not at all," Fluttershy said. "In fact, I think I'll join you." The two lay down next to each other and snuggled as they fell asleep. Fluttershy had pleasant dreams about her friends, while Pinkie Pie's dreams were, as always, completely random.

Spike had been quite impressed when he met Ruby yesterday. She reminded him so much of Twilight, the strong, assertive attitude, level of intellect, and kindness all resonated with him. These were odd traits in a dragon, as he only knew too well dealing with dragons the last time he had joined a colony.

_Why did I even decide to try this again, anyway?_ Spike had thought. But after he'd met Ruby, those thoughts had disappeared. Was she going to be the cure for his heart struck pining for Rarity? Just thinking about Rarity filled his heart with a sore aching, and Spike quickly reasoned the answer to that question was still no.

_Ruby's cool and all, but she's just a friend. I don't think I really like her._ Spike wondered about Ruby's father, and whether he would approve of Ruby hanging out with him. He was considered the butt of the the dragons' jokes, much as before, and he wondered if Ruby's parents would have their daughter ostracize him.

_That wouldn't happen_, Spike thought. _Dragon parents don't get involved with their kids too much. I learned that the hard way!_ Spike, remembering the time he had helped in a phoenix egg raid, knew that the lack of parental guidance in dragons was all too obvious. Spike then remembered Peewee, who had flown away in order to return to the wild, where Twilight had said he'd belonged.

_I miss Peewee_, Spike said. His mind drifted to Rarity, calling him "Spikey-Wikey" and messing with his hair. Spike smiled; though he didn't normally like being treated like a baby dragon (especially by Twilight), he had always held an exception for Rarity. What else could he say? The mare was charming, graceful, and elegant. _Not to mention absolutely gorgeous!_ Spike added.

These thoughts carried themselves into his dreams, where Rarity was watching Spike talk with Ruby. Rarity kept trying to get Spike's attention, but Ruby kept pushing her out of the way. Finally, Rarity swooped past her and gave Spike a long, affectionate kiss that lasted a good thirty seconds. Spike desperately wanted more, but he was woken up by someone shaking his shoulder.

"Hey," said an all too familiar voice.

"What is it Ruby? It's the middle of the night."

"The other dragons are asleep. I wanted to talk to you."

"Does it have to be now?" Spike asked. "I'm tired."

"I'm sleepy, too, but I don't want my brother interrupting and embarrassing us again."

"Fine, let's go somewhere where there aren't sleeping dragons to wake up." Spike and Ruby went down the mountainside to a small cliff, the same cliff they had sat on earlier that day.

"So, Spike," Ruby started, "tell me, why are you here?"

"Um…why do you want to know?"

"Because dragons don't just show up in a strange colony that they don't know. You're lucky the other adolescent dragons haven't challenged you to a bunch of contests yet." Spike was reminded of Garble and his friends all too vividly.

"Forget about that, Ruby. It's just Twilight thought I was getting too carried away about ponies and she wanted me to meet some of my own kind."

"But why would she send you all alone?" Ruby asked.

"Beats me," Spike said, honestly unsure about how to answer. "I think she trusts me to take care of myself this time around. I've done this before, and that time she supervised what I was doing and got me out of a mess of trouble."

"Well that's good to hear. Do you have a plan if things get ugly?"

"A plan? But things seem fine."

"The other dragons really don't like you, Spike. Who knows what they'll do to you if you get on their bad side? I think you should go home. Tell her it didn't work out."

"But it _is_ working out!" Spike said. "You're the first dragon-friend I've ever had, and I can't wait to meet some of your friends."

"See, that's the thing," Ruby said. "You're my first dragon-friend, too."

"What?" Spike asked, once again reminded of Twilight.

"All the other dragons think I'm too soft and nice. They want me to be aggressive and me, to pillage gold and hoard it for ourselves. I hate that kind of lifestyle."

"Me, too!" Spike cried. "I think you and I have a lot more in common than I thought."

"I suppose we do…" Ruby said. "Will you stay?"

"I guess I have to. No way to reliably send Twilight a letter asking me to come home, and there's no parchment or quills to write to the princess. Well, I really am tired, but it was nice talking to you, Ruby."

"Nice seeing you, too, Spike. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Once Princess Celestia had raised the sun, Princess Luna had decided it was time to figure out what was going on last night.

"So, tough day yesterday, huh?" Luna asked her sister. Since she wasn't addressing a subject, she let her royal speech go in favor for a more casual, familial dialect.

"The summers are always harder," Celestia said. "I always feel so tired at the end of the day."

"Really?" Luna asked. "You don't have a little bit of energy left?"

"Not really," Celestia said. "I suppose the other ponies would find it odd that even we need to sleep! I was really tired yesterday, so I went straight to bed."

"I see," Luna said. "Are you sure you went right to bed?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked, wondering how much her sister knew.

"I mean, you didn't have a little bit of energy to spend taking care of myself?"

"Taking care of my…Luna, what do you mean?"

"Admit it," Luna said, suddenly serious. "You sneak in dirty magazines and you don't even bother to lend me an old copy." Celestia seemed shocked.

"How dare you make such an accusation? Do you want to be sent to the moon again?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that. I know that's really sensitive for you."

"It's all right."

"Well, it's true," Celestia said. "There. Are you happy?"

"No," Luna said. "If you want me to keep quiet about this, you'll give me your magazines when you are done with them, and you're going to teach me how to pleasure myself."

"You mean you don't know how…?"

"No, I don't. I never learned."

"But shouldn't it come naturally...? Never mind. It's a deal."

"Excellent," Luna said, ready to make her sister as uncomfortable as possible.


	10. The Cutie Mark Crusader Detectives

**Chapter 10: The Cutie Mark Crusader Detectives**

"'Dear Twilight Sparkle,'" Twilight read aloud. "'I wanted to write you about how things have been going the last four days. It feels like I've been gone a month, so much has happened.

"'I have some good news, and I have some bad news. The good news is that I finally met a dragon that wasn't a complete jerk. Her name is Ruby, and she reminds me a lot of you. She's smart, kind, and caring, and it looks like we're going to become very good friends. The bad news is that…'"

"What is it, Twilight?" Rarity asked. She had decided to sleep over, and the two unicorns had awoken to this letter forwarded from Princess Celestia by Derpy Hooves. As Twilight scanned ahead, she realized there was some information in Spike's letter that she didn't feel comfortable reading in front of Rarity.

"I, um…it just says that the other dragons are bullying him, just like last time. I was afraid this would happen, but I really thought he could handle it this time."

"You're lying," Rarity said jocularly, but Twilight's reaction cemented it for her. "You really are lying to me, Twilight? Well, why don't you tell me what it really says?"

"I can't…it's personal."

"Really, now, what problems could a baby dragon have that are personal?"

"Rarity!"

"I'm sorry, dear, but I really want to know what's bothering my little Spiky-Wikey."

"It's about you, okay?" Twilight said out of frustration, and she was being honest this time.

"Oh," Rarity said. "_Oh…_" she emphasized after realizing what this implied. "Right. Well, I suppose I don't really need to hear it after all. Continue."

"'Anyway, I really miss you, even though I'm glad you decided not to follow me this time, and I'll be home before you know it. Love, Spike.'"

"That was all he wrote?" Rarity asked. "I thought he said a lot has been happening."

"I suppose those two things are the important parts," Twilight said. "He's probably up to much more than he had time to write down. Maybe he's just really busy."

"Well, where did he get the parchment and quill, I wonder?"

"He brought some with him," Twilight explained.

"That makes sense," Rarity said. "So, what do we have in store for today, hmm? Do you want to try what we did last night again?" Twilight looked a little dismayed.

"Are you sure? I hurt myself when I tried to do that to you. I wasn't good at it at all."

"Dear, it was only your first time. Don't feel ashamed about it. Celestia knows you feel badly enough about yourself as it is."

"Hey," Twilight said, sounding wounded, "take it easy."

"My apologies," Rarity said quickly. "I think you should give it another shot. Just, you know, try to be more careful. It is a sharp appendage, I realize that."

"Well, it was your first time, too, and you did it really well."

"I suppose I'm a natural then," Rarity said, flipping her mane gracefully. "But we can't _all_ be gifted at everything, can we? Oh!" Rarity cried, as a magenta aura surrounded her horn.

"Why don't I just do it like this?" Twilight asked.

"That…might work, too, but didn't you like having my horn in your mouth?"

"To be honest, it kind of lost its charm when it gouged the roof of my mouth and I started bleeding."

"Fair enough," Rarity said with a sigh. "Do what you need to do, then." Twilight used her magic to rub Rarity's horn up and down. Rarity began to purr with delight, but her purring became gasping when Twilight increased the pace.

"Oh, Twilight, this is magnificent…" Rarity said as Twilight caressed her horn with her magical aura. Twilight began to kiss Rarity as her magic pumped the horn faster and faster. Now blue auras of magic began to mingle with the magenta, indicating Rarity's pleasure. Twilight concentrated her magic and also sent a few magical tendrils up Rarity's vagina, eliciting a squeal of surprise. Twilight worked both ends of her friend until she cried as she came. Rarity collapsed onto the bed, spent, while Twilight looked at her with a smile.

"Twilight, that was _so_ much better than last night. No offense, but I can tell that blowjobs aren't really your specialty."

"It's okay, Rarity," Twilight said. "Magic's not really yours."

"I know, I know, I'm not as gifted as you when it comes to manipulating magic, but I can definitely out-blow you."

"Prove it," Twilight said with a devilish smirk. Rarity pounced on top of Twilight, finding newfound energy as she wrapped her mouth around Twilight's horn. She started to lick it sensually, which sent shivers down Twilight's neck and made her horn begin to glow.

"Twilight, you taste _so_ good," Rarity said as she started to suck on her horn.

"Mm…" was all Twilight could muster for a response. Rarity's tonguing sent tingling sensations throughout her whole body. Twilight reached down and started to masturbate as Rarity did her work. Twilight screwed her face up in concentration until she broke her barrier and started to come more and more quickly.

"Almost there, almost there…" she whispered, and then she screamed out ecstatic delight as she felt herself come. Her hoof was now moist with her fluids as Rarity tasted Twilight's magic spewing from her horn. It tasted like Twilight's juices, only much stronger and unique, although more like lemonade than anything else. It was Twilight's turn to collapse onto the bed in post-orgasm exhaustion. Rarity kissed her gently on the cheek.

"You rest, dear. I'm going to freshen up and then we can get some breakfast, my treat."

"Okay…" Twilight mumbled as she closed her eyes. Another kiss from Rarity sent her mind aflutter, and Rarity chuckled as she trotted towards Twilight's bathroom.

Applejack was jolted awake when an angry Applebloom pounced on top of her.

"Get up, you lousy filly!" Applebloom cried. Applejack, shocked wide awake, stared at Applebloom angrily.

"Just what in the hell do ya think yer doin', Applebloom?" she asked, not bothering to censor her language around the filly.

"Where were ya last night? We expected ya back fer dinner, but ah reckon ya didn't come in till after ah went to bed!"

"So ah was out late, big deal. What's yer point, anyway?"

"Ya shouldn't do that to us. Ah was worried sick about you." Applejack saw through Applebloom's angry façade to the worry and hurt she had caused her sister.

"Ah'm awful sorry, Applebloom. Ah didn't mean to get yer saddle in a bunch."

"So what were ya up to?" Applebloom asked, calmer after hearing the apology.

"Ah…can't say. It's private."

"Well, ya shoulda thought about that before ya decided to ditch our family dinner. Ya know we eat together every night, that's nothin' new."

"Ah know it isn't, Applebloom. Ah was havin' a good time with mah friends and ah lost track of time. How many times have we had to force you home after hangin' out with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, huh?"

"Wait, ya said it was personal, and now you tell me ya just lost track of time. Which is it?"

"Why do you care, anyway?" Applejack asked.

"Because ah want to know," Applebloom whined, stomping on Applejack's sheets in frustration.

"It's personal," Applejack said. "Ya wouldn't understand."

"Yes, ah would," Applebloom said. "Why don't ya just tell me, Element o' Honesty?"

"Even the most honest of ponies need their privacy, Applebloom."

"Don't start lecturin' me like ah'm some newborn filly. Ah'm a big pony, and ah demand to know what you were up to last night! It musta been bad, or ya already woulda told me."

"It's not bad, Applebloom, it's just personal. Can we drop it? Ah'm still tired."

"Yeah, right, only 'cause ya were up so late…"

"Really, Applebloom, that's enough. Ya need to stop bossin' yer big sister around. Now get out of mah room."

"Look who's bein' the boss now?" Applebloom cried.

"Big sisters are supposed to boss their little sisters around. It's the rule."

"Only because our parents are gone…" Applebloom whispered sinisterly.

"Don't bring our parents up!" Applejack said. "How many times have ah told ya never to speak about them?"

"Ah didn't even know them!" Applebloom said. "You and Big Mac told me they left when ah was just a baby, but ya never told me why."

"There's good reasons we're keepin' secrets from you, Applebloom, just like there's a good reason why ah'm not telling ya what ah was up to last night."

"So you _were_ up to no good!" Applebloom cried triumphantly. "Tell me, or ah'm tellin' Grannie Smith on you."

"Go right ahead. She'll just tell ya that ah'm in the right."

"Fine! Oh, Grannie Smith!" Applebloom cried, galloping out of Applejack's room. Applejack lay back down and tried to fall asleep again.

Applebloom found Grannie Smith asleep in her rocking chair. She galloped up to her ear and yelled, "Grannie Smith!" The old pony screamed as she was awoken.

"What in blazes, ya whippersnapper! Ah coulda had a heart attack!"

"Grannie Smith, Applejack won't tell me what she was up to last night."

"And fer good reason. Yer much too nosy fer yer own good."

"Oh!" Applebloom whined. "Make her tell me, Grannie Smith. Aren't ya the least bit curious?"

"No, Applebloom. She probably just lost track of time playin' with Winona. Why don't ya run along now? Go find yer friends, it's Saturday. Ya should be hangin' out with them instead of pesterin' yer sister."

"Fine…" Applebloom said, pretending to leave to see her friends. Instead, she snuck into Big Macintosh's room. The red stallion was still asleep, so she jumped up onto the bed and yelled into his ear, "Big Macintosh!" The pony groggily woke up, unfazed by his sister's outburst.

"What is it, Applebloom?" he asked sleepily.

"Make Applejack tell me what she was up to last night."

"Nope," Big Macintosh said.

"Oh! Why not?" Applebloom asked.

"'Tain't none of yer business, that's why," Big Macintosh explained. He closed his eyes and started to snore. Applebloom, frustrated, left the house in search of her friends. If she couldn't make Applejack tell her what she was up to, then she'd find out for herself!

Pinkie Pie had elected to stay over at Fluttershy's cottage, which Fluttershy had not minded in the slightest. She woke up next to her lover and felt lucky to be here, so comfortably wrapped in Pinkie Pie's legs.

Pinkie Pie woke up shortly afterward, looked into Fluttershy's eyes, and smiled, giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Fluttershy said.

"Morning," Pinkie Pie mumbled. "Breakfast?"

"Is that really the first thing that comes to mind when you wake up? Food?"

"What can I say?" Pinkie Pie said. "I _do_ work at a bakery, so I smell food all the time." Pinkie Pie thought briefly about her low self-esteem regarding her weight, but decided to let it slide.

"Okay, I'll whip breakfast right up. What would you like?"

"Pancakes?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Pancakes it is," Fluttershy said, kissing Pinkie Pie again and rolling off the bed. Fluttershy thought about how nice the night before had been as she cooked. Being subjugated had been as nice as it always was, but acting as the dominatrix was almost as titillating in its own way. Pinkie Pie had taken her to new depths that she had never explored, and Fluttershy was starting to like where things were going.

When she had finished making the pancakes, Pinkie Pie was sitting at the table, fork and knife in hoof.

"I can't wait! I'm starving!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Here you go," Fluttershy said, placing a plate of pancakes in front of Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie noisily began to dig in, and Fluttershy enjoyed watching her eat the meal she had made for her. It felt so good to mother Pinkie Pie, whether she was making her breakfast or instilling a little sexual punishment.

_I could get used to this…_ she thought.

Spike awoke feeling good about sending the letter to Twilight the other day. It was nice to share with his friend how deeply he still felt for Rarity and how sorely he missed her. Getting it down on paper had been a relief, and if he knew Twilight, he'd get back a long letter offering advice about how to deal with it.

However, Spike hadn't said too much about Ruby yet. The problem he was beginning to notice was how intense Ruby was becoming. She seemed to hang on Spike's every word and made a point of seeing him as often as the other dragons would allow.

He didn't have much time to think about it when, once again, Ruby had found him.

"Good morning, Spike!" she chirped happily, hands behind her back. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine, Ruby," Spike said.

"I got you breakfast," Ruby said. "Shh, I stole it from my brother's hoard." Ruby exposed her hands to reveal a small pile of rubies. Spike looked at them hungrily, and didn't realize why she had picked only rubies for him to eat. He took them from her and started to eat, their fiery taste awakening him from his slumber.

"So, how much longer do you think you'll be staying?" Ruby asked.

"Um…not too much longer, I think. I'm really starting to miss my friends at home, and I haven't really started to fit in here. I should have realized it after what happened last time I tried this."

"You've tried this before?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, different colony, though, although I thought I saw your dad there. It was during the Great Migration."

"I never heard about that," Ruby said. "So what happened?"

"A bunch of teenage dragons tried to get me to smash a phoenix egg, but I refused to do it and my friends helped me return home. Turns out they'd been following me the whole time to make sure I was all right. As if I couldn't take care of myself…" he added, annoyed.

"Well, I'm sure they meant well," Ruby said.

"Yeah, so it was pretty lousy last time. The whole reason I even bothered this time around was because I wanted to see if I could meet any girls I'd be interested in."

"So, what do you think?" Ruby asked, suddenly very nervous.

"About what?" Spike asked. Ruby huffed.

"Have you found anyone you like?"

"Well…not yet. I mean, not _really_. But I've gotten to meet you, and I think we can be really good friends."

"Okay…" Ruby said, trying to hide how upset she suddenly felt.

Applebloom went out to the tree house that served as the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse to find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo already there.

"Mornin', y'all," Applebloom said.

"Good morning, Applebloom," Scootaloo said, yawning. "Boy am I tired. Did you two sleep well?"

"Sure," Sweetie Belle said. "How about you, Applebloom?"

"I slept great," Applebloom said.

"You sure did. You look all wound up about something," Scootaloo said. "What's up?"

"Applejack came home late last night, and she won't tell me why!" Applebloom said.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked. "That's odd."

"Yeah," Scootaloo added. "If she didn't tell you, that must mean it was something bad."

"That's what ah said!" Applebloom cried. "So ah was wonderin' if y'all could help me figure out what happened last night. We could be the Cutie Mark Crusader Detectives!"

"Didn't we already try that when Twilight thought she was missing a book from the library, and it turned out that Spike had taken it for some light reading?" Scootaloo asked.

"This is going to be better, ah swear."

"Whatever you say, Applebloom," Sweetie Belle said. "So what's the plan?"

"Um…kidnap mah sister and force her to talk?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stared at her quizzically.

"Never mind, ah got nothin'."

"Why don't we ask her friends about last night?" Sweetie Belle said. "One of them might know what Applejack was up to."

"That's a much better idea!" Applebloom said.

"Let's go!" cried Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash woke up feeling quite content and excited, all thoughts of her haunting feelings forgotten with the night's rest. The only thing she could think of was Applejack and how excited she was to see her again. She kept imagining what it would be like to have real sex with her, although touching each other the way they did had been incredible enough already. Rainbow Dash supposed that while it was already great, it could only get better from here, and that made her happier and more satisfied than she'd felt in a long time.

She wondered how to start her day, and figured a casual fly around Ponyville was in order, so she took off and started floating just above the ground so she could see the sights. As she started to fly towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, she ran into said crusaders.

"Hey guys!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Howdy, RD!" Applebloom said.

"Hello," said Sweetie Belle.

"Hi," said Scootaloo, staring longingly at her idol.

"What are you three fillies up to today?" Rainbow Dash asked politely.

"We're on a mission!" Scootaloo declared.

"Really? What's that?" Rainbow Dash said, hiding a chuckle.

"Well," Sweetie Belle explained, "Applebloom told us that her sister came home late last night, so we figured since she couldn't find out from her where she was, we'd start asking her friends."

"You…want to know what Applejack was up to last night?" Rainbow Dash asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Sure do!" Applebloom said, oblivious to the sudden change in Rainbow Dash's countenance.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Rainbow Dash said. "Sorry, girls, but I've gotta fly. Got things to do!" Rainbow Dash suddenly took off, leaving the crusaders far behind.

"That was weird," Scootaloo said.

"Was it? Ah didn't notice," Applebloom said.

"You didn't notice?" Sweetie Belle deadpanned, dumbfounded.

"What? Ah thought that's how she acted all the time."

"I think we should follow her," Scootaloo said.

"And how're we gonna do that? Rainbow Dash is the fastest flyer in Equestria. We'll never catch her now."

"That's easy," Sweetie Belle said. "We find someone who can track her down."

Pinkie Pie left Fluttershy's house feeling quite full after her satisfying breakfast. She promised to bring toys for next time, and started to bounce back towards Ponyville without a care in the world. So careless was she that she bumped into the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Sorry, girls!" Pinkie Pie said, helping the three fillies onto their hooves.

"Pinkie Pie, we've been looking everywhere for you!" Applebloom exclaimed.

"You have?" Pinkie Pie asked. "What for?"

"We need your help to find Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said.

"Oh, you want to talk to Rainbow Dash, huh?" Pinkie Pie asked, oblivious as to why the crusaders needed to do so. "Okay, hold on." Pinkie Pie raised her tail and started sweeping it around like a radar device. Suddenly, her tail pointed in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. In the distant, the four ponies could see a rainbow-colored blur headed for the farm.

"She's probably talkin' to mah sister!" Applebloom cried.

"Let's get moving!" Scootaloo said. They had the jump on Rainbow Dash, as Fluttershy's cottage was far closer to Sweet Apple Acres than Rainbow Dash was. Still, Rainbow Dash was a fast flyer, and so made it to the farm well before the crusaders. By the time Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle showed up, Rainbow Dash was well into a conversation with Applejack.

"We need to get closer," Scootaloo whispered. The three fillies jumped into a nearby bush and snuck the bush towards the two mares. They remained unnoticed as they came close enough to hear Applejack and Rainbow Dash talk.

"…so you'd better not let them fillies know what we were up to last night, ya hear? Mah sister's askin' too many questions as it is."

"I know," Rainbow Dash said, "she told me. That's why I came here."

"Well, are ya sure ya weren't followed?"

"Please, remember you're talking to the fastest flyer in Equestria! There's no _way_ they could have kept up with me, let alone know I was coming here to warn you."

"Well, all right then, but hush up about this whole affair, will ya? The hills have ears…" Applejack looked around and saw the bush, but she also saw Scootaloo's head quickly withdraw into it. "…and apparently, the bushes have eyes. Girls, git outta there!" Looking guilty as sin, the Cutie Mark Crusaders left the bush with brambles caught in their hair.

"How much o' that did y'all hear?" Applejack asked.

"We didn't hear anything!" Scootaloo pleaded.

"We swear!" Sweetie Belle added.

"Oh, please, big sis, ah'm really sorry. Ah promise, no more snoopin'."

"You'd better not be lyin' to me, Applebloom. Yer big sis always finds out when you tell tall tales."

"Then I Pinkie promise we won't go snoopin'."

"Ooh, they're using the Pinkie promise," Rainbow Dash said. "They mean business."

"All right, now y'all run along and forget this ever happened, ya hear?"

"Yeah, if anypony asks, I wasn't here," Rainbow Dash said. The Cutie Mark Crusaders left, all the while assuring they'd keep their noses clean.

"We're going to keep snooping, aren't we?" Scootaloo asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Well, duh," Applebloom said. "This is only the beginning!"

That night, Ruby couldn't help but start crying. Spike had told her they could be "good friends," but had said nothing else. It was painful to be stuck being friends with someone she liked so much. She almost thought it would be better if she never saw him again, because at least he wouldn't be around to remind her that she wasn't good enough for him.

Meanwhile, Spike was thinking about the conversation he had with Ruby and was starting to piece together exactly what was going on with the two of them. He realized the possibility that Ruby liked him, and then groaned about how he said they could just be "good friends." He'd put Ruby in the friend zone, the same place in which Rarity had left him time and time again!

Spike groaned, wondering how he'd gotten himself into this mess. Hadn't he _just_ met her? And already he was breaking her heart. Is this what love was about? Because if it was, Spike wondered if he was better off making do without. Spike soon realized that was a crazy thought, because that meant giving up on Rarity.

_Maybe I should just leave now_, Spike thought. _No, best to leave the same way I came, because I wasn't paying attention to where they were driving me. But how am I going to break it to Ruby?_

Spike decided to cross that bridge when he came to it, and so he fell asleep and slept soundly through the night, unlike Ruby, who's dreams were plagued with Spike making fun of her and rejecting her.

"So, how do you do it?" Luna asked. Celestia shook her head as she began to explain it for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You just take your hoof and put it…there," Celestia said, moving Luna's hoof to her vagina. "And then you start rubbing it."

"Like this?" Luna asked, and started to rub against herself so roughly that it started to hurt.

"Smoother than that, and it's best to rotate your hoof in a circular motion," Celestia explained.

_I can't believe I'm doing this…_ she thought.

"So, is this supposed to feel good?" Luna asked. "I don't feel too good right now."

"That's because you're trying to shove your hoof into that hole," Celestia said. "You have to be more gentle with yourself, and realize you aren't going to penetrate yourself. You're supposed to just, you know…rub your clitoris from the outside." _What am I even saying?_

"I don't get it," Luna asked. Suddenly, a royal guard walked into the room.

"Get out of here!" Celestia yelled. The frightened guard quickly left the room. Celestia sighed, understanding that being a royal figure means you almost never get privacy.

"Let's start over again," Celestia sighed. _This is going to take a while…_


	11. A Voice in the Back of My Head

**Chapter 11: A Voice in the Back of My Head**

The week had not been kind to Twilight Sparkle. Rather, during the course of that week, Twilight Sparkle had not been kind to herself. What had begun as a wild fantasy concerning Rarity had become a reality and then a horrible nightmare of self-doubt and inadequacy. Twilight's nervous anticipation of Rarity's overnights had turned into dread, and she was performing less and less affluently in the bedroom. Rarity had taken it all in stride, but deep down knew something was wrong with Twilight. She was unable to elicit any kind of response from Twilight when she asked her what was wrong, so she had decided to drop the subject. This left Twilight alone to suffer with problems that were becoming more and more serious.

As the week progressed, Twilight started to find excuses to see Rarity less and less, claiming homework from Princess Celestia or some research concerning Spike's trip away from home. Rarity had politely taken the hint, but was confused about what was bothering Twilight so much. Then she started wondering if perhaps she was doing something wrong. Rarity shook that thought aside, reasoning that it was Twilight's problem if she was having difficulty hanging out with her, as Rarity was perfectly fine spending time with Twilight.

Twilight had successfully avoided Rarity for three days, but Friday had come around, and so the inevitable visit to the park for the pet play date made it impossible to avoid Rarity today. Twilight realized that if she was going to get any help and return to the passionate ecstasy she had just begun to know, she would have to tell Rarity everything. Bracing herself for a long, involved conversation, she headed towards the park with Owloysius in tow.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been busy for the week, but the few times they had spent together had been nothing short of magical. They'd found all sorts of places to make secret rendezvous, from the Everfree Forest to the outskirts of Ponyville. But they tired of hiding their secret from everypony, and so on Thursday night they elected to discuss what they would do about it.

"RD, ah'm just sick o' runnin' around in secrecy, like what we're doin' is shameful," Applejack said during a discussion not far from Zecora's hut.

I know what you mean," Rainbow Dash said. "I hate running around in privacy like this. I'd love to just tell everypony what we're doing."

"You know mah family wouldn't appreciate that," Applejack said.

"Duh, that's why I've kept it a secret for so long," Rainbow Dash replied.

"All right, let's just get to the point. Who're we gonna tell? Who can we trust?"

"The other four," Rainbow Dash said. "You know, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rarity. I think they'd keep our secret for us."

"Well, ah know Pinkie Pie will, but you know how Twilight is with secret-keepin'. Besides, who knows what Rarity would do with a bit o' gossip?"

"Rarity's above all that stuff," Rainbow Dash said. "Besides, if we can't trust our closest friends, who _can_ we trust?"

"Nopony, ah suppose."

"So we've just got to grit our teeth and do it, then!"

"All right, RD, if ya say so. But ah'm blamin' any backlash we git on you, ya hear?"

"Whatever, AJ," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Ah hope so," Applejack said. "Ah really hope so."

Twilight and Rarity were the first to arrive at the park, which was good, because Twilight didn't want to explain to her other friends what was going on between them. At the same time, however, it would mean Twilight had no choice but to speak to her. The inevitability of the conversation, rather than make her nervous, drove Twilight with determination. There was no turning back now. Twilight was about to spill everything.

Rarity trotted to Twilight, looking confused at the seriousness of Twilight's expression. She wanted desperately to ask what was wrong, but a radiant energy ensuing from Twilight somehow told her to be quiet and listen instead. Rarity subconsciously obeyed the command, and merely prompted Twilight by saying, "It seems you have something to say to me. It's time to say it."

"Thank you," Twilight said. "First, let me start by saying that I apologize for avoiding you the past couple of days, and I'm also sorry for lying to you about my work. I was busy fretting about this conversation, not doing extra assignments for Princess Celestia. Do you accept my apology?"

"Of course, dear," Rarity said, "although that doesn't mean it didn't hurt to be rejected. I suppose you're about to explain why, however."

"Yes, I am," Twilight said. "The reason I was rejecting you was because I was afraid I wasn't good enough for you. I got it into my head that I am a worthless pony and it made me sad to think that I was dragging you down. I was afraid to tell you this because I knew you'd try to talk me out of it, even though there is no way for me to change my mind. So instead of trying to explain my convoluted feelings, I took the easier route of avoiding you. For not telling you the truth I am sorry. For not being good enough for you I am sorry, too."

"Twilight, you were right in thinking that I would try to talk you out of your thoughts, because what you're saying is absolutely ridiculous! You are by far the most talented pony I know, especially and most surprisingly in the bedroom. Any sensible mare would dream to be you, and any sensible stallion would want to be with you! There are even mares who want you, Twilight, and I am one of them. Stop shortchanging yourself and listen to reason! You have accomplished so much since I first met you, and from your background I'd assume you'd accomplished even more before you moved to Ponyville. Celestia, I can't believe you, Twilight! Is there any way you can explain _why_ you're feeling so worthless?"

"It's a voice in the back of my head, Rarity. It tells me these things constantly, points out all my mistakes to me, laughs every time I fall. It watches everything and awakes especially when I close my eyes. I don't know where it comes from or why it does these things, but it constantly drives me to try to do better when I'm not doing well enough."

"Twilight, dear, that sounds more like it's putting you down and turning you into an obsessive perfectionist, which makes sense. But are you sure you don't know where it comes from? I've dabbled in a little psychotherapeutic research and―"

"Wait, really?"

"Huh?"

"You've researched psychology?"

"Well…I had to travel to Manehattan to find books about it, as you had none in the Ponyville library. But my point is, I've read on this kind of stuff and it sounds like you're depressed!"

"Depressed? But that's impossible! I don't feel sad all the time."

"Depression is a disorder as various as the ponies it inhabits. Why, some ponies, male especially, respond to their episodes through violent outbursts. Some are despondent, which is what most ponies think of when they think of depression. You, Twilight, seem to turn it into a drive to achieve, which isn't necessarily a bad thing until you take it to obsessive extremes. Remember when you feared that you would be tardy for Celestia's assignment?"

"I'd rather forget about that," Twilight said.

"You started to slip into madness, my dear, and it was quite horrifying. That's actually what spurred me to research psychology in the first place. I wanted to understand what was making you so upset, and I think it was the impending failure that you feared the most. Of course, this fear was not grounded in reality, but to you it was very real and very frightening. I wonder...could this voice in your head be that of a disapproving Princess Celestia?"

"No," Twilight said. "The voice sounds more…male."

"Well, how long have you been hearing this voice?" Rarity asked. Twilight was impressed by Rarity's surprisingly deep intellect and insightful questioning. It was as if she had done more than merely dabbled in psychotherapeutic theory.

"As long as I can remember," Twilight answered.

"Then my best conjecture is that the voice belonged to a male member of your family. Let's see, you have a brother, Shining Armor, and you have―"

"My father." Twilight froze as horrible realization hit her, then she started to bawl.

"It's all right, dear," Rarity said. "Let it go. It's okay now."

"R-rarity," Twilight sputtered through her heavy sobbing, "it's all coming b-back now."

"What is? Tell me. Let it out and let it go."

"All of…all of his m-mean comments. 'Don't be such an idiot, Twilight Sparkle!' 'Have some common sense, Twilight Sparkle!' 'You've brought shame to your family!'"

"He said all those things? That seems unbelievably harsh," Rarity said. Twilight sniffled.

"He only said those things when he was mad at me for forgetting something. But it didn't matter how small the problem was. He'd just l-lash out at me for no reason, and my mom let him!" Twilight started bawling even harder now. "How dare she let him?"

"Twilight, please, lower your voice a little. We are still in a public park." Twilight cast a sound barrier around them that blocked their conversation from the other ponies in the park.

"I suppose, dear, that your father left you with a difficult decision. Either you hate him for being so cruel to you, or love him and accept that you really were an idiot and a shameful pony. It seems to me you chose the latter."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Bear with me, Twilight, it's a little complicated. Young ponies rely on the basic fact that their parents love them and want to take care of them when they are too small to take care of themselves. When a parent fails to meet such expectations, the young pony will twist that failure around, usually internalizing it and identifying too strongly with their own shortcomings. This is done to protect the parents' status as loving and protective, but it does damage to a young pony's self-esteem. Do you see? In order to protect your view of your father, you accepted every bad thing he ever said about you, and now you're left in shambles over it." Twilight sobbed again, and felt snot beginning to run out of her nose. She desperately wanted a tissue, but none were to be found.

"H-how do you know all this?" Twilight asked. Rarity became a bit dodgy.

"It's…I guess I was really interested in this stuff," she said lamely.

"Okay, well, it makes sense to me."

"Oh, good. I'm afraid it didn't make sense to me at all, so I'm glad you understand it."

"Thanks, Rarity," Twilight said with a smile. "I feel better."

"You're welcome, love," Rarity said. Twilight lowered the sound barrier and hugged her friend. At that moment, Applejack and Rainbow Dash came down the hill to join them.

"Howdy, Rarity, Twilight―Twilight? Have ya been cryin'?" Twilight chuckled and nodded.

"She's been through a lot of emotions just now," Rarity said. "I think it fair for her to decide when she's ready to tell you what's going on."

"Since when did you become her spokespony?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It's fine, Rarity," Twilight said. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity thinks I'm depressed and I have to say I think she's right."

"Depressed about what, hon'?" Applejack asked.

"About myself and my own self-esteem, I suppose," Twilight said.

"That's terrible, Twilight. I hope ya get better soon."

"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight said.

"Yer bein' awful quiet about this, Rainbow Dash," Applejack told her friend. "Aren't ya gonna wish yer friend well?"

"Yeah, good luck with that," Rainbow Dash said coldly.

"Rainbow Dash, really, now," Rarity started, but Twilight interrupted.

"It's fine, Rarity. I think I understand."

"Understand what, dear?" Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash's haughty expression and thought she saw some pain lurking beneath the façade.

"Nothing, really," Twilight said, "but it's okay. It's good to let these things out and share them with your closest friends."

"That reminds me," Applejack said. "RD and ah have a big announcement, but we'll wait fer the others to get here, first." The wait wasn't long. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie arrived and went down the hill to greet the other ponies.

"So, Applejack," Twilight said. "What's your big announcement?"

"Ooh!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You have an announcement! Oh, I'm so excited, I'm so excited! I want to hear it!"

"Be quiet, Pinkie Pie, and we'll tell you," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.

"Oh, right!" Pinkie Pie said. She pulled a zipper shut across her mouth. Fluttershy stared at her, wondering where in the world the zipper had come from.

"So," Applejack started, clearing her throat. "First things first, RD and ah have done some thinkin' ever since that sleepover. While we did have fun…"

"Too much fun," Rainbow Dash piped up.

"Whatever. While we had fun, it got us thinkin' about who we are as ponies. Ah have finally come to uneven terms with mah own sexual leanin's, and I just wanted y'all to know that I'm a filly fooler." The other four ponies oohed and aahed over Applejack's revelation.

"What do you gals think?" she asked.

"It's wonderful," Rarity said. "Who knew my kiss would lead to you realizing you were gay? It's positively saucy."

"Erm…okay," Applejack said, not sure whether that should've been taken as a compliment."

"And for the record, I'm bi," Rainbow Dash said bluntly. "Guess I fly both ways."

"Cool," Twilight said. "So you like stallions and mares?"

"Pretty much," Rainbow Dash said.

"Which leads to the real announcement. It turns out that RD and ah…"

"…are dating," Rainbow Dash finished. Silence engulfed the six ponies as the shock of the news settled, but once they had processed this revelation they were very happy.

"Good for you guys!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Way to go," whispered Fluttershy.

"I always thought you two looked cute together," added Rarity.

"So, how long have you been going out?" Twilight asked.

"Our first date was Wednesday a week ago, so it's been about nine days," Rainbow Dash said.

"Congratulations, you guys!" Pinkie Pie said. The others echoed her sentiment.

"Thank ya kindly, girls," Applejack said. "It means a lot to know you're okay with all this."

Things between Spike and Ruby were either going fairly well or frustratingly bad, depending on whom you asked. If you asked Spike, he'd tell you that he and Ruby were becoming close friends. They talked, they laughed, and they poked fun at all of the dragons behind their backs. The two had a lot in common, and it was a relief for Spike to know that he had at least one good friend. Still, he was pretty sure she wanted more from him, which was occasionally awkward, but that did not detract from their relationship as it stood now.

Ruby would tell you, however, that things were not going well at all. She had developed quite the crush on Spike, she hated to admit, and his inability to reciprocate her feelings was becoming more and more frustrating as the days progressed. It made her very sad to think that he didn't like her the same way she liked him, and it made it difficult to hang out with him, although she did enjoy his company a lot.

A conversation about these conflicting viewpoints was inevitable, and came to fruition on the same Friday where Applejack and Rainbow Dash had come out to their friends.

"What are we doing, Spike?" Ruby suddenly asked, throwing Spike off guard.

"W-what?" Spike asked, stunned at the outburst.

"I mean what _are_ we?" Ruby stressed.

"I don't follow," Spike said. Ruby groaned.

"I want to know, right now, if you don't like me, because I sure as hell like you."

"Of course I like you, Ruby! You're like my best friend."

"Not like that, Spike. Like _like_ like."

"Like like…huh?"

"I mean I think it's pretty obvious by now that I have a crush on you."

"Oh, that," Spike said sadly. "Yeah, I guess I'm just not feeling it. Sorry, Ruby." Ruby huffed.

"I bet it's that pretty pony _Rarity_. That's all you ever talk about. It's Rarity this and Rarity that. You'd think she was Princess Celestia herself, the way you talk about her."

"Huh, guess I can get carried away about that," Spike said.

"You think?" Ruby asked patronizingly. "And how do you think that makes me feel, Spike, having to hear about the love of your life when I feel this way about you? Did you ever stop to consider _that_?" This was making Spike feel more and more uncomfortable, and he didn't know how to answer.

"Well, I don't think I want to talk to you anymore," Ruby said, and she walked away before Spike could begin to notice the tears coming from her eyes.

Twilight was busying herself reorganizing the library when Derpy arrived with her mail.

"Letter for Twilight Sparkle," she said, handing her the letter with a smile.

"Thanks, Derpy," Twilight said, and Derpy flew off. She smiled, still thinking about Applejack and Rainbow Dash after the conversation at the park the day before. She noticed the letter was from Princess Celestia, but when she opened it she recognized instantly Spike's handwriting.

Dear Twilight,

I can't stop thinking about her! Sorry, I know that's not the right way to start a letter, but that's how urgent this is. I can't help but think about Rarity. The other dragons are sick of hearing about her and I'm sick of not seeing her.

On another troubling note, that friend I made, Ruby, has a crush on me and I don't feel the same way. She doesn't want to talk to me anymore, so I'm afraid I've lost the only friend I've made here.

Because of that, I plan on leaving for Ponyville tomorrow. I've already made the arrangements with Princess Celestia, so I will see you tomorrow night. Take care!

Love,

Spike

Twilight was worried that Spike was letting his crush on Rarity go too far, but she was genuinely happy that he was returning. She had missed her assistant and closest friend. Just as she was setting the letter aside, she heard a knock at the library door. Twilight opened it and saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Hello, girls," Twilight said. "Come on in. I'm reorganizing the library right now, so don't mind the mess."

"Oh, _are_ you?" Sweetie Belle asked far too innocently. "Can we help?"

"Well…" Twilight said. "I don't know. You have to look at the whole schematic of my new design, not to mention I have to catalog everything from scratch. You'd probably get bored."

"Oh, we'd be glad to help!" Scootaloo said. "Just tell us what to do and we'll do it."

"Fine," Twilight said. "I've sorted these books on Ponyville history already. If you could put them on that shelf over there in alphabetical order, it'd be a great help."

"Sure thing!" Applebloom said, and the three ponies dove into the work.

"So," Applebloom asked, "have ya talked to mah sister recently?" Twilight instantly became suspicious of the crusaders' reasons for being at the library on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

"Yes," Twilight said, deciding to play along. "I did see her just yesterday."

"Oh, good," Applebloom said. "How is she?"

"Shouldn't you know?" Twilight asked. "You're her sister."

"Ah know, but she hardly talks to me anymore. It's sad, really. You'd think sisters would share _everything_…" Applebloom was afraid she was pouring it on too thick, which Twilight noticed.

"Anyway," Scootaloo interrupted, "how's RD? I haven't seen her in a while."

"She's fine," Twilight said.

"She's not talking to me anymore, either, at least not very much. I thought we were friends…"

"Oh, cheer up!" Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, we _are_ in Twilight's library, and Twilight's seen Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Maybe _she'd_ know what's going on with them." Applebloom and Scootaloo shook their heads frantically at Sweetie Belle, but Twilight caught on too quickly for them.

"What are you girls talking about?" Twilight asked. The crusaders decided to be honest.

"Twilight, we heard Applejack and Rainbow Dash talking about us snooping around," Scootaloo said, "and they said they didn't want us to find something out."

"But we _really_ want to know what it is they're hidin'!" Applebloom said.

"So we were wondering…if we could ask you." Sweetie Belle said unsurely. Twilight smiled at the girls.

"If Applejack and Rainbow Dash don't want you girls knowing something, then it's none of your business. You have to respect their privacy." The Cutie Mark Crusaders said "Oh" sadly.

"But what's so private that mah sister can't even tell me?" Applebloom asked.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe I don't know?" Twilight asked. It was a lie, of course, as she knew exactly what the crusaders didn't, but if it would help throw them off the track, then the ends justified the means.

"Ah reckon not…"

"We're sorry to bother you, Twilight!" Scootaloo said. "We should go now."

"But I thought you wanted to help me shelve these books," Twilight said.

"Well, uh…" Scootaloo said.

"Um…" Applebloom added.

"We were just looking for an excuse to talk to you," Sweetie Belle said.

"Sweetie Belle!" the other crusaders chastised.

"You girls better run. I can handle it from here," Twilight said. She smiled, amused at the thinly veiled attempt to extract information from her. Twilight continued with her organizing while humming a little tune, content in knowing that her friends' secret was safe with her.

This was it! Spike could see the chariot coming down to pick him up. He gathered his things and started to board it when a familiar red dragon ran up to him.

"Where are you going?" Ruby asked.

"Home," Spike said.

"Why?"

"Do you really want to know?" Spike asked. "Well, the only reason I was really staying here was because of you, and you said you didn't want to talk to me, so I'm going to go now."

"Spike, please! I'm sorry I yelled at you like that. I promise it won't happen again. Just don't…don't go…"

"Is this going to take a while?" one of the chariot horses asked. "We're on a tight schedule."

"Just a minute," Spike said. "Ruby, look, you're a great friend, but this isn't my home and I had to leave eventually. I thought you wouldn't want to say goodbye."

"Well, you were wrong," Ruby said, tears starting to shimmer in her eyes. Spike walked over and gave her a hug.

"It's okay, Ruby," Spike said. "You're gonna be fine."

"Good luck, Spike," Ruby said. "I hope Rarity is all over you when you get back!"

"Thanks," Spike said with a chuckle. He boarded the chariot, and quick as a whip, they had taken off. Ruby looked up at the sky, realizing she didn't want to say goodbye to her friend, and made a rash decision.

_I'm going to follow him._

"Absolutely not, Luna," Celestia said.

"But I just can't do it by myself," Luna said. "It's too hard."

"I've told you not to rub so hard," Celestia said. "But there's no way I'm demonstrating how to do it using your vagina. We're sisters, after all."

"It doesn't mean anything," Luna said. "It's just one pony helping another learn more about herself, that's all."

"This is ridiculous," Celestia said. "I have more important things to do." With that, Celestia walked out of Luna's bedroom. Luna cursed herself for coming on too strong, but by the moon and the stars, she would get Celestia to touch her. Luna was nothing if not cunning and devious; if she could outsmart her sister, maybe she'd feel that forbidden touch her heart craved.


	12. Pure, Unadulterated Bliss

**Chapter 12: Pure, Unadulterated Bliss**

This was bliss, Fluttershy realized as she was kissing Pinkie Pie. This was pure, unadulterated bliss. Something about the movement of Pinkie Pie's tongue sparked her on the inside, set her belly aflame with passion. They were on Fluttershy's bed, legs wrapped around each other, tonguing each other mercilessly. Pinkie Pie started biting at her neck, which Fluttershy enjoyed.

Pinkie Pie suddenly decided it was time to get rough, so she shoved Fluttershy down into the bed and mounted her back. Fluttershy's stomach burned ever hotter as Pinkie Pie started spanking her.

"You've. Been. A. Very. Bad. Pony!" Pinkie Pie said, emphasizing every word with a spank. Fluttershy was on the verge of tears, but she was so aroused that she dared not call the safety word, which today was "Gummy." Fluttershy wanted to see just how much pain she could tolerate.

"Does it hurt?" Pinkie Pie asked, spanking Fluttershy once again. Fluttershy merely squealed.

"I asked you _does it hurt_!" Another spank hit Fluttershy in a sore spot, and she screamed out.

"Yes, yes it hurts!" she said. _Spank!_

"You're weak. How does that make you feel, Fluttershy, knowing how weak you are?" It was as if Pinkie Pie was a completely different pony, using a much harsher voice and harder dialogue than her normal cheery self. The change both intimidated and titillated Fluttershy.

"I know I'm weak," Fluttershy said. _Spank!_

"You have no fight in you at all. It's no fun when you don't put up a fight," Pinkie Pie said, temporarily reverting to her cheery self.

"But I thought you wanted me to be weak," Fluttershy said.

"No, I want you to be strong and then become weak by my hoof. I want to break you." Pinkie Pie had reverted to her harsher tone.

"Well, I dare you to try!" Fluttershy said. Another spank left her whimpering.

"Don't move!" Pinkie Pie ordered. She jumped off the bed and fished through a black bag of sexual toys she had gotten in Manehattan earlier that week. Fluttershy dared not look at what she was fishing for, but winced when she heard the crack of a whip. Pinkie Pie brought the cat o' nine tails back to the bed with her, and Fluttershy gulped down her fear.

"You…you think that's s-supposed to s-scare me?" Fluttershy asked. A crack followed a sharp hit to Fluttershy's dock. Tears were starting to pour down Fluttershy's cheeks. Pinkie Pie strapped onto Fluttershy a mouth ball, which she had apparently also brought over.

"Stomp on the bed three times when it's too much," Pinkie Pie said kindly, before reverting back to her domineering tone.

"I am sick of your back talk, young lady," she said. "Looks like somepony needs some lickings so she can learn her manners." More cracks of the whip landed on Fluttershy, causing her to squeal in pain. Tears were openly flowing down Fluttershy's cheeks. Pinkie Pie returned to her black bag and fished out easily the most embarrassing item she had purchased: a rounded, purple dildo. She returned to the bed and began to shove it into Fluttershy's vagina. Fluttershy's gasp was muffled by the mouth ball, but her eyes flew open and then rolled up as Pinkie Pie thrust the dildo into her cavern.

Soon Fluttershy could feel her arousal beginning to rise as Pinkie Pie thrust faster and faster into her. Yes, the hard plastic object hurt as it went in and out at such a pace, but it just felt so damned _good_. What was starting to not feel good were the images that were forming in Fluttershy's head. The images frightened her so much that she screamed the safe word "Gummy," but the mouth ball gagged her. She remembered to stomp her hoof three times, and Pinkie Pie immediately removed the dildo and released Fluttershy from the mouth ball. Fluttershy started to sob openly, no longer in the ecstasy that had ridden her to this dreadful place in her mind.

"What happened, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked, her concern obvious in her softer tone.

"I don't want to talk about it…" Fluttershy said.

"But Fluttershy, we have to talk about it, or we won't be able to have our fun anymore. If something's bothering you, you really should tell me so I can help you fix it. Is that okay?"

"I suppose so, Pinkie Pie, but you're just going to think I'm crazy or something."

"What is this about, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked, concern escalating to outright worry.

"It's just…I was reminded of my father, that's all."

"Your father? What do you mean?"

"I mean he…"

"He what?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Nothing, forget I said anything." Pinkie Pie was starting to get frustrated.

"Fluttershy, if it was nothing then why didn't we keep going? You're really strong, you know, you can take a lot from me, so when you did the safety stomp I knew something bad was going on. Now you'll either tell me, or forsake the fun that we're having, 'cause I don't wanna do it if it isn't fun. Understand?"

"Yes, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said dejectedly. "Okay, let me explain. My father was a mean pony, always slapping my mother around and calling her horrible names. Looking back on it now, I think he was a drunk, but I didn't know it when I was a little filly. He used to…he used to use the whip on me…"

"Well, we certainly won't need this anymore," Pinkie Pie said, ready to throw the cat o' nine tails in the garbage.

"Not that kind of whip," Fluttershy said, "but a whip all the same. He'd only use it when he was real drunk, I think, because he always had that smell on his breath. Anyway, he'd call me 'young lady' all the time, so I think that's what triggered all this."

"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy. I promise I'll never call you that again."

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie."

"No, it's not okay! Why, I wish I could walk right up to your dad and tell him that what he did was _not okay_. You're a great pony, Fluttershy, and you don't deserve to be treated that way."

"It's in the past now," Fluttershy said. "My dad left when I was eight. I never saw him again after that."

"What a scaredy-cat. Why'd he run away?"

"I think, um…he and Mom got in a huge fight, and he hit her with a…a frying pan. Anyway, the police were called, so he took off rather than get arrested."

"That rotten pony deserves to be in jail," Pinkie Pie said.

"I suppose so," Fluttershy said. "I suppose so."

"We really wimped out yesterday," Scootaloo said. "I mean, we didn't even try to get anything out of Twilight."

"That's because she caught on to us right away," Applebloom said. "We need to be cleverer."

"But how?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Twilight's probably going to warn all her friends to watch out for us."

"We just have to be super sneaky," Applebloom said, "like spies."

"Or secret agents!" Scootaloo added.

"That's the same thing," Sweetie Belle said.

"Is not!" Scootaloo objected. "Secret agents and spies are totally different."

"Girls, ah reckon we're missin' the point here. What Scootaloo said makes sense. If we can't ask 'em, we'll have to sneak 'em to find out. Any ideas on how to do that?"

"What if we didn't do the sneaking?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle piped in. "The ponies would never expect somepony like Big Macintosh to be our spy."

"Or secret agent," Scootaloo said.

"Mah brother would never work, he's too honest. We need to pick someone crafty to help us…"

"I know!" Sweetie Belle said. "What about Spike?"

"Spike's away on some quest or somethin'" Applebloom said discouragingly. "He can't help us."

"But when he comes back, there's nopony better," Sweetie Belle advocated. "Twilight trusts him a lot, and the other ponies know Twilight knows her assistant. Plus, he's bribable…"

"What do you mean, 'bribable'?" Scootaloo asked.

"I mean I could give him one of my sister's gems. She'll never know it's missing, and the poor dragon will just beg to have it. All he has to do is find out about Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and we give him the loot. It's that simple."

"Ah like it," Applebloom said. "It seems like a pretty good idea. What do you think, Scootaloo?"

"I love it!" Scootaloo said. "As soon as Spike comes back, we'll be ready."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash slammed the door to Rainbow Dash's room open as they kissed furiously. Applejack had requested Twilight cast the walk-on-clouds spell for her earlier today, and Rainbow Dash had flown her to her house, where they could finally guarantee themselves some privacy. They were quick to jump at the opportunity to enjoy such privacy, as they boarded the bed and Rainbow Dash started nipping at Applejack's neck. The mare undid her ponytail and threw her Stetson onto the floor as she took Rainbow Dash's head and shoved it down lower. Rainbow Dash needed no invitation; as soon as she surmised what Applejack wanted she went to work licking her clitoris. Applejack moaned as Rainbow Dash lapped up the fluid secreting from the hole.

Feeling particularly naughty, Rainbow Dash took her hoof and started to rim Applejack's anus. The orange pony gasped with surprise as she felt the new sensation, but relaxed and let Rainbow Dash continue as she licked her. Applejack felt herself start to come, and she started to moan at a faster and faster pace, urging Rainbow Dash onward. Rainbow Dash needed no further invitation to lick Applejack at a more feverish pace. Applejack's moaning became crying out when she came, and when the orgasm had passed she brought Rainbow Dash's head back up to her own and kissed him feverishly.

"Rainbow Dash," she said, huffing and trying to recover her breath, "ah'd like to talk about somethin'."

"Sure," Rainbow Dash said, eager to hear what Applejack had to say.

"Ah want you," Applejack said. "Ah mean ah want you to go all the way with me."

"You mean straight up vaginal?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack nodded.

"Now you're talking," Rainbow Dash said. "It would be my pleasure."

"Hold on," Applejack said, grabbing Rainbow Dash's head to keep her from mounting her like she was a service horse. "Before ah let ya bump uglies with me, ah need to know ah'm losin' my virginity to the right pony."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah mean ah really love ya, RD, and ah need to know ya feel the same way."

Rainbow Dash felt like she had just walked into a trap. Sure, she _wanted_ Applejack as badly as one might want a sweet dessert, but what Applejack was asking for was a stronger commitment than just a carnal desire. She might as well have asked Rainbow Dash to marry her, as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned. And while she liked Applejack a lot, she wasn't sure she was ready to make that commitment.

But sex with Applejack sounded _so_ good, and she didn't want to pass up an opportunity like that over such a thing as semantics. She definitely loved _being_ with Applejack, and frankly that should count, right? Rainbow Dash decided that it did count when she answered Applejack.

"Of course I love you, Applejack," she said.

"Then get busy, ya sexy thing," Applejack said, and Rainbow Dash didn't need telling twice.

Rarity was busy working on another order when she allowed her mind to drift off into a fantasy.

She imagined Twilight kissing her in the grassy fields on the outskirts of Ponyville, the two of them lying in the summer sun, sweat beading down their necks. Twilight began to kiss lower and lower, moving down Rarity's neck to her chest and finally to her thighs. Rarity giggled, as her thighs were ticklish, but then giggling became moaning when Twilight stuck her horn into her vagina. Twilight began to thrust it inward and outward, and Rarity cooed with delight as she started to come. So engrossed in this fantasy was she that she caught herself clopping to her own thoughts in the middle of her sewing. Embarrassed, she soon stopped and returned to work, either to try out this newfound fantasy with Twilight the next time she saw her, which Rarity knew would be soon.

"You know, Fluttershy, I think I can relate with you," Pinkie Pie admitted after Fluttershy had had her turn dominating her. Fluttershy toned down her domineering façade to allow her gentle, nurturing side to return to the surface.

"What do you mean, Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked delicately.

"I mean your parents were very mean to you when you were growing up. I can't say my parents were exactly the same, but they were just so _sad_ all the time. My mom especially would spend hours holed up in her room, and sometimes when I crept up to the door to see if she was okay I could hear her sobbing. I tried to ask Daddy about it but he said it was none of my business. So I started to think maybe it was my fault she was sad, and that made me sad, too, and my mane was straight back in those days. It wasn't until the Sonic Rainboom that I decided that maybe it was time to be happy. So I threw a party for my parents and they loved it!" Fluttershy caught something in Pinkie Pie's sudden shift of tone that she found suspicious.

"Are you sure they really liked your party?" Fluttershy asked. Pinkie Pie's face looked nervous behind the false grin she was wearing.

"Of course, silly, what pony wouldn't like a good party? Only a boring one!" Pinkie Pie had said this last sentence a little too harshly to be believed. Fluttershy decided to pry a little deeper.

"Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said, "are you telling the truth?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Pinkie Pie asked. "That was my story about Equestria's birth, wasn't it?"

"You don't have to make a joke out of it," Fluttershy said, "and you don't have to lie to me. Tell me, Pinkie Pie, if your parents loved your party, why have I never met them?"

"Because…they live so far away from Ponyville."

"Then why come all the way here?" Fluttershy asked. Pinkie Pie was becoming more and more uncomfortable.

"Because…because I heard Ponyville was full of happy ponies, that's why."

"And why would you need to find happy ponies if your parents were happy at home?" Fluttershy asked.

"Because…oh, Fluttershy! They hated my party! They never told me upfront, but I could see it in their eyes! They tolerated the hoopla I'd thrown, but they didn't love it. They never loved anything! I mean, all we did was move rocks all day long. What kind of life is that? A boring one, that's what. I left because I couldn't stand being saddy-waddy all the time. Are you happy?" Pinkie Pie started to bawl, and Fluttershy was more satisfied with her answer and also made an attempt to comfort Pinkie Pie by giving her a hug.

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie, it's okay. You can let it go now." Pinkie Pie sniffled as she hugged her friend tightly.

Rainbow Dash dismounted Applejack after some fierce, fierce lovemaking, reasoning that if this is what sex felt like, she had made the right decision in pretending to love Applejack. Applejack was sweating, giggling like a school filly thinking about the naughty things she had just done with Rainbow Dash. Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled.

"Ah knew ah could count on you, RD," Applejack said, smiling at her friend. Rainbow Dash nodded.

"I love you, Applejack," Rainbow Dash lied.

"Ah love you, too, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said with complete honesty.

Rarity arrived at Twilight's library feeling eager to see her. When Twilight answered the door and let her in, Rarity immediately started kissing her.

"Oh, Twilight," Rarity said, "you don't know how badly I want you right now."

"That's great, Rarity," Twilight said between kisses, "but there's just one little problem."

"I don't care how big the problem is, it can't top my desire for you right now."

"Rarity, Spike is upstairs. He just got home from his journey."

"Is he asleep?" Rarity asked.

"Huh?"

"Is he asleep, dear?"

"No, he isn't." Rarity stopped.

"You're a killjoy, Twilight Sparkle," she said with a pout. Twilight smiled.

"Do you want to say hello? I'm sure he'd be excited to see you," Twilight said. Rarity nodded, and Twilight called Spike down. Spike came down, saw Rarity, and his face lit up as he went to give her a hug.

"And how is my Spiky-Wikey?" Rarity asked.

"Tired," Spike said, "but not tired enough to see you."

"That's good to hear. I missed you while you were away." Twilight smiled, hoping Rarity wasn't leading the poor dragon on.

"How was your trip?" Rarity asked.

"It was great! I met this really cool dragon named Ruby. She was the greatest friend, but my mission to find a dragon I could fall in love with it failed because….because…well, you know…" Rarity smiled knowingly and felt pity for the poor baby dragon.

"Oh, Spike, really, I'm flattered, but I wish you hadn't given up your journey for me. I'm not worth all that."

"Oh, but you are," Spike said. "I mean…I guess I just missed my friends here in Ponyville, especially you, and I…wait, I mean that I just felt it was time to come back," he said lamely.

"Spike, what was Ruby like?" Twilight asked.

"She was funny, smart, and really kind, Twilight. She also kind of had a crush on me. I had to let her down easy so I didn't hurt her feelings, and believe me, it wasn't easy, but I think I pulled it off."

"Good for you, Spike," Twilight said. "What do you think, Rarity?"

"Oh, Spike, I wish you had given her more of a chance."

"What do you mean?" Spike asked.

"Well, no offense to your kind, dear, but seldom do you find a really nice dragon like Ruby. I wish you hadn't passed that opportunity up. Will you be able to write her at least?"

"Nah, she can't read. Although I bet she'd learn quickly if she had any books available."

"Why don't you send her a book, then?" Rarity asked. "Twilight has plenty of children's books available, don't you, Twilight?"

"I do," Twilight said, "and Rarity, that's a great idea. Do you want to try that, Spike?"

"Sure," Spike said, "that sounds good."

"Great, then let's look for some books to send," Twilight said.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had both cried themselves out, and Pinkie Pie thought it best to stay over so they could hold each other. Before they fell asleep, they got to talking.

"You know," Fluttershy said, "I think our friends might be able to help us."

"What do you mean?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I mean we're not the only ones with bad childhoods. Applejack never knew her parents, and I know nothing about Rainbow Dash's or Twilight's. Rarity's the only one whose parents seem normal, but they're so down-to-earth that she probably can't relate to them very well."

"You have a good point, Fluttershy," Pinkie Pie said.

"Thanks, Pinkie," Fluttershy said.

"You're welcome," Pinkie Pie said. "I just don't think I'm ready to tell my friends about my bad family. I mean, it took a lot of guts to tell you, and I couldn't even do that without crying. How will I tell them?"

"Just take your time," Fluttershy said, "and the right time will come."

"That sounds good," Pinkie Pie said. "Hey, you in the mood to do something naughty before bed?"

"Always," Fluttershy said.

Ruby was exhausted when she arrived at the outskirts of Ponyville. She had done her best to follow Spike at the beginning, but the chariot had moved too fast and she had lost sight of it shortly into the journey. It was by asking around that she found her way to the Everfree Forest, in which she became totally lost. Almost ready to lose hope, she had found a small hut and went inside to meet the zebra mystic named Zecora.

Zecora had welcomed her into her home and prepared a soup with topazes and sapphires in it, and while Ruby ate, Zecora told her everything she knew about Ponyville. Ruby held off asking about Spike, not wanting to give away the whole reason she was visiting.

When she was done eating, Zecora gave her directions to Ponyville and a hotel.

"It was nice to meet you, but before you go, there is something Zecora wants to know. I wonder if you're able to pay for a hotel where you can stay." Ruby found Zecora's way of speaking odd, but knew the zebra meant well.

"I think I'll manage, thanks," Ruby said.

"Then Zecora wishes you well, and hopes your journey ends up swell," the zebra said before sending her on her way.

Ruby checked in at the Ponyville Inn later that day, and realized that Spike was probably already in Ponyville right now. She started to plan out exactly what she was going to say when she ran into him, provided she ever had the opportunity to run into him. Ruby wondered how she would get an opportunity to explain to him why she had left her colony. Was it crazy to follow a dragon who said he didn't like her? Wasn't that considered stalking? Ruby thought about her crush and justified it, saying to herself that if she hadn't pursued this opportunity, she would have spent the rest of her long life regretting it, and that life could be a millennium or two. That was a long time to regret something, she reasoned.

So she went to sleep at the inn hopeful that Spike would understand why she came and that he would give her a chance. But she would have to find him in the morning. Right now she was too tired from her journey to think about trying to find him now. It was time to sleep.

Luna lay awake during the day, when she normally slept, tossing and turning in wonderment. Was it wrong to want her sister so badly? Was it improper of a member of royalty to want to commit incest? Is that what she even wanted? These questions plagued her as she rolled over in her bed, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep.

Eventually Luna did fall asleep, but she didn't know when she started dreaming. All she knew was that Celestia stormed into her room, grabbed her face with her hooves, and kissed her passionately. Celestia's horn glowed as she used her magic to rub Luna's clitoris, moving it around in a circular motion. As Luna's fantasy played itself out in her dream, she started to rub herself in her sleep. Now that she wasn't consciously trying to come, she was able to do so properly, getting just the right strength and frequency to make her secrete her juices onto her sheets. When Luna awoke from her dream, it was to the satisfaction of knowing she had finally made herself come.

But should be satisfied? What she wanted was so…unnatural. Yes, that was the word for it, unnatural. But why did something so unnatural feel so right to her?

Luna decided that maybe it was time to talk to Celestia about how she was feeling. That was going to be so awkward, but she knew it was going to be worth it to try, at least. What could she lose by asking? It's not like she hadn't been punished before, having spent a thousand years lonely on the moon. In fact, Luna very much did not want to think about how lonely she was for that period of time. It still hurt to think she spent all that time buried beneath the lunar surface.

There was nothing for it. She'd just have to talk to Princess Celestia the next time she saw her. Returning to bed, Luna imagined what the conversation would be like and smiled to herself, hoping that her sister would understand how she felt.


	13. Coeenkedinks

**Chapter 13: Coeenkedinks**

Even though Spike had only returned yesterday from his journey, Twilight had wasted no time putting him to work. She had sent him away with a list of errands that she told him hadn't been accomplished since he had left. Spike shook his head, thinking about how quickly Twilight had sent him away from the library and wondering if perhaps there was a reason for it. After all, hadn't she missed him while he was away? What was the point of sending him all over Ponyville?

Inquisitive as he was, he wasn't curious enough to ponder it any further. He had just arrived at the Quills and Sofas shop to purchase quills for Twilight. Spike did so without event, but when he walked out of the shop he saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders messing around in the street.

"Hey, girls! How's it going?" Spike asked, waving to them in a friendly manner.

"Spike!" Sweetie Belle cried. "Just the dragon we wanted to see!"

"Uh…huh?" Spike asked.

"Hey, no, we're just really glad to see you," Scootaloo said. She shot Sweetie Belle a dirty look. "So, how was the trip?"

"Oh, it was great!" Spike said, and he took a few moments to recount the trip for them, including especially the relationship he had with Ruby.

"But then ya left her?" Applebloom asked.

"Well…I really wanted to come home, so…there wasn't much I could do," Spike explained.

"Well, she seemed really sweet and all…" Applebloom said.

"That's what Twilight said," Spike recalled.

"But we're really glad yer back, don't get us wrong," Applebloom said.

"Thanks," Spike said. "Now, if you ladies don't mind, I've got a lot of errands to run for Twilight."

"Oh, can we help?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Um…I guess you can tag along, if you want to," Spike said, wondering why the three young fillies were suddenly so interested in spending time with him. Sure, they were acquaintances, but they had never really had extended conversations before. Spike shrugged it off, saying to himself that fillies would be fillies.

"So how is Twilight?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We haven't seen her in a while."

"Um…she's fine," Spike said, "but I only just got home yesterday, so we didn't really talk about it, but she seems okay."

"That's good," Sweetie Belle said. "Um…"

"Did she catch you up on all the latest Ponyville gossip?" Scootaloo asked, hoping she wasn't showing her hand too soon.

"What gossip?" Spike asked as he approached the bookshop to purchase parchment. The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed him into the small shop.

"Well…we don't know!" Scootaloo explained. "Nopony tells us anything, because we're young or something. But you're Twilight's assistant. I bet she tells you everything!"

"Not exactly…" Spike said, wondering what in the world these three fillies wanted from him.

"Oh, this is stupid," Applebloom said. "Spike, we might as well cut to the chase. We know mah sister is up to somethin' with Rainbow Dash, but we don't know what it was and we were hopin' Twilight told ya."

"Up to what?" Spike asked.

"So ya don't know…" Applebloom said in dismay.

"Don't know what?" Spike asked. "I'm confused…"

"I can explain," Sweetie Belle offered. "A few days ago, we accidentally overheard Applejack talking to Rainbow Dash about some 'affair' that they needed to keep secret. They found us before they talked about what it was and made us promise we wouldn't tell anypony."

"But, you're telling me…" Spike said.

"Don't be silly, Spike," Sweetie Belle said. "You're a dragon, not a pony."

"Uh…" Spike started, but decided it was best not to argue semantics.

"So basically," Scootaloo added, "we were wondering if Twilight knew anything about this. She is like one of their best friends, and everything she knows you probably know, too."

"Well, shouldn't we let them keep their secret?" Spike asked. "We don't want to invade their privacy, do we?"

"Of course not," Applebloom said. "As soon as we find out what's goin' on, we'll leave 'em alone. But we _gotta_ know what they're hidin' from us, we just _gotta_."

"Are you sure you really need to know?" Spike asked.

"We thought you wouldn't want to tell us," Sweetie Belle said, "and that's why we're offering you a deal. You find out what Applejack and Rainbow Dash are up to, and I swipe one of my sister's gems for you. She won't even know it's missing, she's got a million like it."

"Please, did you really think you were gonna bribe me?" Spike asked. Sweetie Belle looked crestfallen.

"I thought for sure that would work…" she said to herself.

"Look, if you really want to know what they're up to, and if somehow Twilight lets something slip, I'll let you know, but I'm not going to try to get it out of her. And you can keep the gem, Sweetie Belle. I don't want you stealing your sister's things." Sweetie Belle looked like she was about to object, but Applebloom quickly spoke up.

"It's a deal," she said. "Thank ya kindly, Spike!"

"You're welcome," Spike said. "Now, I'm busy, so you girls should get going."

"Sure thing," Scootaloo said. "See ya!" Spike watched the fillies leave, shaking his head about how curious they were. Hadn't they learned yet not to poke around in other ponies' business?

Spike shrugged it off, figuring that there was nothing for it.

Pinkie Pie woke up and stared warmly at the sleeping mare next to her. Sleeping over with Fluttershy was just so much _fun_, a lot more fun than Pinkie Pie ever would have thought it could be. She prodded Fluttershy's back in order to wake her, but Fluttershy mumbled in protest and snuggled further under the covers. Pinkie Pie playfully prodded her again, and this time Fluttershy opened her eyes groggily. She turned to see Pinkie Pie's face and smiled; Pinkie Pie's exuberant happiness was contagious.

"Good morning, sweetie," Pinkie Pie said.

"Morning, Pinkie," Fluttershy mumbled through a yawn.

"Did you sleep well?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Actually," Fluttershy said, "I had some trouble falling asleep."

"Good, I'm not the only one. You think it has something to do with…?"

"Without a doubt," Fluttershy said.

"Maybe we should talk about it a little more," Pinkie Pie suggested.

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked, dreading to delve any further into her childhood than she already had.

"Haven't you ever heard?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Talking about your problems helps make them feel better."

"I know, I know," Fluttershy said. "I guess we can try to work through all this."

"Great! I'll start breakfast," Pinkie Pie chirped in a singsong voice. Fluttershy followed the bouncing pony into the kitchen, where Pinkie Pie was already preparing cereal. They sat down across from each other at the table and began to eat.

"So, your father was a big meanie-pants," Pinkie Pie said. "Why'd your mom put up with it?"

"My mom and I are a lot alike," Fluttershy said with a hint of disdain. "We're both much too accepting for our own good. She didn't think very much of herself, and so she let in just about anypony who whispered sweet nothings in her ear. My dad was apparently the last of a long line."

"Whoa…" Pinkie Pie said. "I never would have guessed."

"Yeah, a lot of ponies up in Cloudsdale talked about her. It always used to bother me. It still does, actually…"

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. We lost touch."

"And where's your dad?"

"I'm not even sure if he's dead or alive," Fluttershy said, "and I don't really care, either."

"Oh, come on, Fluttershy, he's your dad."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean much when he was so…"

"So what?"

"Nothing. What about your family? It doesn't sound like they were abusive at all."

"No, they weren't…but like I said, they were always sad, sad, sad. Everything was so boring with them! It was _really_ annoying." Fluttershy could imagine a bouncing pink filly trying to engage her lethargic parents.

"I imagine it must have been. How bad did things get?"

"I don't think you want to know…" Pinkie Pie said.

"Why wouldn't I want to know?" Fluttershy asked.

"It's really kind of sad. I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just thought since you were the one that said talking about problems made things better…" Pinkie Pie looked at Fluttershy with such hurt in her eyes that Fluttershy instantly felt guilty for pushing the matter.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie Pie," she said, giving the clearly distressed pony a much-needed hug.

Applejack trotted into the library and greeted Twilight Sparkle.

"Hey, Applejack. What's up?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I was wonderin' if…ya know that cloud-walkin' spell ya casted fer me yesterday?"

"Yes," Twilight said.

"Well, ah was wonderin' if…there was a permanent version."

"Um…hmm," Twilight said, thinking. "I'll see what I can find. In the meanwhile, do you want a refresher for today?"

"Ah guess…" Applejack said, dismayed.

"Oh, I can't say no to a friend like you, Applejack," Twilight said. "Come on; let's see what I have here." Twilight found the shelf which carried all of her magic books. It was obvious from the lack of dust that these books were taken off the shelf more frequently than some of the others. Twilight pulled down one that specifically outlined spells that manipulated pony physiology.

"This is the book I used to get us to Cloudsdale to watch Rainbow Dash perform at the Young Flier's Competition," Twilight explained. "I'm sure there was something in here about permanent cloud-walking…there is! It involves a dramatic restructuring of the skeletomuscular system…requires a series of doses of a very complex potion…this looks more like Zecora's specialty, actually…"

"Aw, forget it, Twi. Ah suppose ah can make do without fer today. Just give me that there refresher and ah'll be on my way."

"Okay," Twilight said, casting the cloud-walking spell on Applejack. It took much less effort than it had originally, as Twilight was getting more proficient at it with practice. Applejack could feel a lightness rise within her that indicated to her the spell's successful implementation.

"Thank ya, Twilight. Ah really appreciate it."

"You've been seeing Rainbow Dash a lot lately, haven't you?" Twilight asked, feeling giddy about the sauciness of their affair.

"Ya might say that," Applejack said. "Let's just say ah've been seein' more of her back than her front lately." Applejack gave Twilight a big wink. Twilight giggled.

"Spare me the details," Twilight said. "But seriously, how is she…?"

"Ya mean like…in bed?" Applejack asked. Twilight nodded with enthusiasm.

"Well, I hate to fuck and tell, but…she's a real buckin' bronco."

"Oh my goodness, you two are _so_ cute!" Twilight said. "I hope it works out for you."

"Me too, Twilight," Applejack said. Applejack left and greeted Spike as he walked in with a huge pile of purchases for Twilight. Twilight levitated the pile out of Spike's hands, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Twilight," Spike said, panting. "What was Applejack doing here?"

"What? Nothing," Twilight said, eyes shifting around. She wasn't a very good liar.

"What are you hiding, Twilight Sparkle?" Spike asked.

"Hiding? What hiding? I'm not hiding anything!" she protested.

"Well then what's the big deal then? And why was Applejack even here?"

"She wanted to…borrow a book."

"I didn't see her walk out with a book…"

"Well, you see, it was already checked out when she got here."

"What was the book?" Spike asked.

"Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone," Twilight said, blurting out the first book that came to mind.

"Really? But I see a copy right there," Spike said, pointing to a nearby shelf.

"Okay, okay," Twilight said, giving up, "she was here for other reasons, but it's personal, so can we just not talk about it?"

Spike was reminded of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' request, but he decided it was best to play it cool for now. There was plenty of opportunity to dig for the truth later.

"Okay, Twilight, that's fine. I won't bother you anymore."

"Thanks, Spike. Now, be a dear and put these away," Twilight said, pointing to the pile of purchases Spike had made earlier that day. Spike grumbled and got to work.

Applejack whistled down from beneath Rainbow Dash's house. The pegasus swooped down, picked her up, and brought her up to her house. As Rainbow Dash and Applejack entered her room, Rainbow Dash began to kiss her fiercely.

"Whoa, nelly," Applejack said, "though ah usually don't mind that right as ah come over, ah just wanted to sit and talk fer a second about us."

"Oh, great, here we go," Rainbow Dash said. "Not even a month after we start fucking and you want to 'talk about us.' Great."

"What in the hay crawled up yer ass and keeled over?" Applejack asked.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I guess I'm just getting a little defensive."

"Defensive about what?" Applejack asked.

"You're calling me too horny, aren't you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Is that what this is about?"

"Guilty conscience much?" Applejack asked. "That wasn't even remotely on mah mind, but now that you mention it, it seems that's all yer interested in doin'. We've only gone out once, and ever since I got that cloud-walkin' spell yesterday, all you've wanted to do is jump mah bones."

"Don't say it as if I force you!" Rainbow Dash said. "You want it just as badly as I do."

"I reckon not so much," Applejack said.

"Well then prove it!" Rainbow Dash said.

"What are you talkin' about?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know," Rainbow Dash said, suddenly looking tired. "I guess I don't like being accused like that You know, the other students at my flight school called me a slut for sleeping with that guy."

"Did they now?" Applejack asked, suddenly feeling terrible about what she had implied.

"Yeah, it was pretty rough," Rainbow Dash explained. "I guess when you came in here accusing me of only wanting one thing, I kinda got defensive for that reason. It just reminded me of school and those tough times."

"Well ah'm sorry fer hurtin' yer feelings, RD, but ya gotta respect mah limits. Ah don't always wanna bump uglies with ya. There's so much else we can do."

"Like get into arguments?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, yes, we both can be stubborn asses sometimes," Applejack said. "But there are good things that we do, too. We help each other."

"True," Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey, ya know Twilight thinks we're a real cute couple, ya hear?"

"She does?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Reckon so, least that's what she told me. Ah was just at the library gettin' the spell to let me up here when she told me. Also, Spike came in as soon as I left. That was a little odd, fer him to show up right when ah'm leavin'."

"It is?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I think it's just a coincidence."

"Ah don't believe in coeenkedinks," Applejack said, her dialect affecting the pronunciation of the word.

"Whatever. I don't think it's anything," Rainbow Dash said.

"Suppose yer right, partner," Applejack said. The two sat and stared at each other for a long while.

"You have really pretty eyes," Rainbow Dash said out of the blue.

"Why, thank you," Applejack said. "Ah never get to tell you this, but yer mane is _incredible_."

"Oh, I know," Rainbow Dash said, fluffing it up and basking in Applejack's admiration. "It's really a gift."

"Ah'd love to have a mane as gorgeous as that," Applejack said.

"Your mane _is_ gorgeous," Rainbow Dash said, "if you'd take off that stupid hat and let it down, that is."

"Stop it, Dash," Applejack said, "you know how much ah like mah Stetson."

"Yeah, but I like your mane down better," Rainbow Dash said. "It makes you look _so_ sexy."

"Does it now? And what would that entice you to do?" Applejack asked. Rainbow Dash smirked and pounced on Applejack, attempting to wrestle the Stetson off of her head. Applejack kicked up in protest, but the hat soon ended up across the room, and Applejack's mane was so tangled in the scuffle that she took out the ponytail.

"See? I told you," Rainbow Dash said. "Just look in the bathroom mirror." Applejack did as obliged, and she laughed when she saw her mane. Rainbow Dash joined in as Applejack returned to the bedroom.

"It looks like ah have sex hair!" Applejack said.

"It sure does!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey, while we're at it, why don't ah return the favor?"

"What do you mean?"

"How about ah give you sex hair the old-fashioned way?"

"Oh yeah, I could get into that."

"Then come here, you."

Before Applejack had visited Twilight for the book, Rarity had come over as planned. After picking a suitable book for Ruby, Spike had gone up to bed, and Twilight and Rarity had picked a better time to talk about the adjustments they would have to make on account of Spike's presence. So Twilight had sent Spike away on errands, and during that time Rarity came over.

A quick kiss on the lips was her only greeting. They didn't know how much time they had to themselves, and they didn't want to get overheated too early.

"So, down to business," Rarity said.

"What are we going to do about our little dragon?" Twilight asked.

"Well, he's turning into quite the mare-blocker, if you know what I mean," Rarity said. "As long as he's around, I can't enjoy myself with you like I want to."

"What's wrong with the Carousel Boutique?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, Sweetie Belle is over frequently and if a client comes in for an emergency repair job then I have to take it. I'm afraid it's part of the job. No, the library is our meeting place, it just has to be. So what do we do about Spike?"

"I don't know," Twilight said, thinking. "I can't keep sending him on errands or it'd look suspicious. We obviously can't tell him what's going on, either, or he'd freak out. Maybe…we could meet somewhere else?"

"Like where?" Rarity asked.

"Like a hotel," Twilight said.

"Oh, darling, no, it would look much too conspicuous. Rumors would start spreading, and naturally they'd reach the little dragon's ears and it would only be a matter of time before he calls you on it."

"Not if I use a spell to change our appearance."

"Really, Twilight, why would I want to look like some uglier pony when I could look magnificent as myself?" Twilight rolled her eyes.

"_You_ wouldn't have to change your appearance," Twilight said. "I could just look like a stallion."

"Well then word will get out that I sleep around, and that would put a bad reputation on my business," Rarity said.

"Oh, right…" Twilight said, still thinking about a solution. "Could we borrow one of our friends' houses? Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash live alone, and if we told them what was going on between us then they might understand…"

"Dear, it would be more difficult to explain than that, you know that. We aren't like Applejack and Rainbow Dash. We aren't even real filly foolers! We're just…just…"

"Fucking around?" Twilight suggested.

"Well, if you must put it so crudely, then I suppose," Rarity said. "My point is that I don't want to get into an awkward tête-à-tête with our friends."

"Fine…" Twilight said, starting to get frustrated. She strained her head trying to come up with an ingenious solution, but her brain failed to respond. This was a rare occurrence for Twilight, as she explained to Rarity.

"I can't crack this one," she said. "You've got to help me."

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" Rarity asked.

"You're right. I'm sorry," Twilight said.

"Don't be," Rarity said, patting Twilight on the shoulder. "We're working on it, and that's all that matters."

Twilight and Rarity had eventually come up with an ingenious solution, and she had left shortly before Applejack's arrival. Now Twilight was eager to try her idea the next night to see if they could pull it off. It would take a bit of magic, but Twilight thought that she was ready to try what they had envisioned.

If all went as plan, tomorrow night was going to be fun.

While Spike had been running errands, a certain red dragon had caught him leaving the bookshop with a pile of parchment. She shied away, telling herself that Spike was too busy to be interrupted by her presence. She was afraid the shock would make him drop all the items he was barely carrying.

Ruby shrank into the shadow, embarrassed for being so shy, kicking herself for not trying to talk to him. When was she going to get another chance to see him? For her, it seemed unlikely.

Ruby felt a wave of melancholy pass through her as she considered the possibility of success in wooing Spike. She hoped the romanticism of following him to Ponyville would somehow melt his heart, but deep down inside she seriously doubted it. Spike had been clear about how he felt, and there was no changing that.

But while her head was telling herself these things, her heart refused to let it go. She watched Spike walk, pining for him from afar, eyes gaping at all of Spike's features. She really liked his tail, as it was of an appealing shape to her. She sighed and hit the wall of the building she was standing near out of frustration.

There had to be a better way to go about this. Ruby just didn't know what.

"Celestia," Luna said as she walked into her sister's room after raising the moon. "Forgive me for interrupting, but there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it, Luna?" Celestia asked. She had been reading a bit of The History of Equestria, specifically her and Luna's confrontation with Discord. Celestia had been laughing all of the book's inaccuracies, and then wondering why no historian had ever approached her to get the real details.

"Well," Luna said, "it's really hard to explain, but when you…teach me those things about my own body, I get really…well…excited."

"Of course you do, that's the whole point, Luna," Celestia said. "Self-pleasure is all about positive stimulation and a sense of independence. What's so confusing about that?"

"It's not just the physical touch exciting me, it's…somepony else."

"Ooh, are you fantasizing?" Celestia asked.

"Sort of," Luna admitted. This was getting stranger and stranger for her.

"If you don't mind my asking, who?" Celestia asked.

"Well, um…"

"What was that?"

"Uh…"

"Come on dear, spit it out."

"You, okay?" Luna said, starting to cry. Celestia looked at her with confusion, wondering if she had heard her correctly.

"Me?" she asked. "Why me?"

"I don't know, you're so regal and omnipotent and my only true equal in this land. I guess I'm just…naturally drawn to that."

"Well, Luna, as you know, family members do not participate in those activities together. My teaching you how to, well, masturbate was strictly of an educational nature. You know how we teachers are, never missing an opportunity to instruct our pupils. But you must understand that this attraction is sinful and should be quashed. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Princess Celestia," Luna said, disappointed that nothing more had come out of that conversation.


	14. Totally an Ice Cream Cone

**Chapter 14: Totally an Ice Cream Cone**

Ruby lay awake in the hotel, thinking about seeing Spike and how stupid she felt for wasting a perfectly good opportunity to talk to him. She intermittently vowed to be braver the next time she saw him and despaired over her hopeless situation. She tried to give herself a pep talk, but that failed to elevate her mood.

Tossing and turning in the bed, which she wasn't used to sleeping in, Ruby considered her options. She could return home to a family who cared little for her and a life that now seemed far too dull. She could toughen up her scales and tell Spike why she was in Ponyville. Or she could travel somewhere else and forget the whole thing had ever happened, start a new life.

Ruby felt much too young to consider this last option, and returning to her family was out of the question. Therefore, she came to the conclusion that she must talk to Spike, and soon. What if she took too long and Spike forgot all about her? He promised he wouldn't, but Ruby knew from seeing the feuding dragons that promises meant very little to them.

She imagined herself being humiliated when a stunned Spike discovered she had followed him. This whole thing was just so _creepy_. That she even thought she'd be able to explain to Spike what was clearly stalking reminded her that when she had made the decision to do so, she hadn't been thinking at all. Aggravated, Ruby flipped to her other side on the bed and groaned.

Nothing would be accomplished without a good night's sleep, she reminded herself. She tried to keep the thought of Spike out of her head as fatigue slowly settled to put her to sleep.

Rarity was also having a difficult night. She realized that what had started as a casual fling with Twilight was quickly getting out of hoof. Rarity had always found it difficult to control her emotions, which was part of the reason she had _studied_ up on psychology. All of that scholarship could still not help her with the way she was feeling now.

_What exactly _am _I feeling_? she asked herself. Unfortunately, she could not come up with an easy answer.

Were she and Twilight still just friends? According to Twilight, well…Rarity wasn't sure what Twilight thought. According to Rarity, on the other hand, that answer had to be a no. Thinking about Twilight sent her heart aflutter, and that sensation absolutely indicated something deeper than friendship.

So if it wasn't friendship, what was it? Rarity thought about the numerous crushes she had had growing up, and this didn't qualify as one of those either because, unlike her crushes, her feelings about Twilight were reciprocated. This meant no pining and no whining over some silly colt that was oblivious to her awkward flirting. Contrary to the belief of many in Ponyville, Rarity had not always been so elegant and alluring. That had taken years of practice and a deliberate breaking of the mannerisms she had inherited from her down-to-Earth parents. No, Rarity knew that this was deeper than a crush, too.

Then how deep did it go? Rarity considered love for a moment, but a fluttering in the heart was too weak to be considered love. Love was a heart-pounding, sweat-inducing excitement; this was just a light giddiness at best. Not that that trivialized her feelings about Twilight; they were definitely very titillating, but they didn't amount to love.

Finally, after all else, Rarity considered the unusual agreement to be "friends with benefits." This implied a casual relationship that encompassed sex as a means of pleasurable recreation and little else. Rarity thought that was closer, but her feelings weren't quite that dispassionate. Rarity cared deeply for her friend Twilight, even more so now than before they had started to mess around. No, a connection beyond friendship had definitely formed, but it was impossible for Rarity to deduce exactly what it was.

Frustrated, Rarity questioned why she was even trying to label it. Why try to put a label on it if she didn't even know which label to use? Still, for some reason, it bothered Rarity that she was unable to define her feelings, because only through acknowledging them could she truly experience them and grow as a pony. Rarity sputtered; _that_ had sounded like a load of manure.

Rarity sighed, turning to her side. Why was the thought of Twilight keeping her up like this? Rarity suddenly smelled the mare's glorious mane, a scent memory that triggered her hormones like a potent aphrodisiac. Suddenly, defining her feelings mattered a lot less than acting on her instincts. She took a whiff of the air to heighten the scent of smell and lowered her hoof down to her vagina. Playing with her vulva, she tickled herself, trying to emulate the way Twilight would touch her. She imagined that purple hoof of hers doing the work for her, rubbing faster and faster as their kisses grew more and more passionate.

Rarity started to moan as she picked up the pace. She thought about Twilight spreading her hind legs open, rubbing her thigh with one hoof and beckoning Rarity over with the other. Of course, the actual Twilight would be far less adept at such seduction, but fantasies were fantasies, right? The Twilight in Rarity's head was certainly a lot more steamy as Rarity imagined her crawling over to her ear and slowly nibbling it, whispering dirty things as she did it. She imagined Twilight slowly lowering her head, kissing Rarity as she went down.

Rarity's moans began to become gasps. In her head, Twilight's tongue was now lapping at her folds, trying to reach into the hole that led to Rarity's clit. Rarity started working her clit in response to this, and she felt a sudden tightening of her thighs that indicated to her that she was about to…about to…_oh, dear Celestia!_

Rarity suddenly stopped just before she climaxed, panting heavily. Something about this felt wrong. She realized how badly she wanted Twilight to be next to her, doing the things Rarity had been picturing in her head. Her cheeks flushed as she descended from her high, the excitement in her body being enveloped by a burning desire, a desperate need for satiation from her lover.

Rarity considered not waiting for tomorrow night and instead going to the library now and jumping Twilight's bones as soon as the door opened, regardless of whether Spike was around. Rarity regained some sense and laughed at how ridiculous the idea was. Still, it was clear to her that she sorely wanted Twilight _now_, but she lamented that her wants would have to wait another day.

_It's not fair_, Rarity thought. She considered asking Twilight to move into the boutique, but that would require taking Spike on, and Rarity didn't want the dragon's attention 24-7. Besides, if they were to keep their affair a secret, as they had been doing, ponies would certainly start asking questions about Twilight's sudden move. _No, it's best to keep things where they are now, even if I can't get what I want all the time out of Twilight_.

Now that she was no longer heated, she reconsidered how to label her feelings, and decided that the idea of labeling was a waste of time. Rarity turned over and finally fell asleep when she decided that she would not be able to reconcile her emotions in one night. Perhaps she could talk to Twilight when she saw her tomorrow night and ask for her help.

Fluttershy, having breached the subject of her father again, was now awake in bed considering how badly he had damaged her. It was a depressing thought that she could have been fated to have such an ill family, but Fluttershy knew she had to accept it as a reality. Some things, though, were too hard to accept.

For one, it would be a little easier if her dad had either always been kind and caring or always been a jerk. But he had flipped back and forth, especially when alcohol came into the mix, so Fluttershy had constantly built up her hopes that this time he would truly change, only to be let down when he laid another hoof on her helpless rump. She flashed briefly to Pinkie Pie doing this, and realized that she was reliving her old abuse and extracting from it sexual gratification.

_Oh, what a sick thought_, Fluttershy thought. _What is wrong with me?_

Worse than this, she could have sworn that there was something inside of her deep beneath the surface, some long-forgotten time that caused her great anxiety for no evident reason. This made Fluttershy even more distraught as she desperately tried to discover what could be causing this. Try as she might, though, her thoughts became more and more muddled and numb, as if her own head was defending itself against her feelings. Fluttershy groaned in frustration, chastising herself for being too weak to remember her own feelings.

Instead, she thought about the things she did remember: the beatings, the whip, the beer bottles, the bruises she couldn't explain to her teachers, the bruises on her mother, the awkward lies her mother told her friends about her bruises. On and on these memories played through Fluttershy's head, until she was much too distraught to fall asleep. She rose from the bed and started to pace the room, wondering if she could try journaling how she felt. But Fluttershy thought this a waste of time; what good would it be to have these thoughts on paper? And what if somepony found them? No, journaling was definitely not a good idea.

Fluttershy lay back onto her stomach with her face buried in her pillow and started to breathe heavily in an attempt to calm down. The stimulation of her memories made it too difficult to fall asleep and caused an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. Angrily, Fluttershy cursed Pinkie Pie for bringing all of this up, but instantly felt guilty for doing so. After all, Pinkie Pie's childhood had been no easier, and it wasn't fair to be angry at somepony who was clearly miserable at heart.

Fluttershy thought more about Pinkie Pie, and realized she had known very little about her for such a long time. Up until they had started…whatever they were doing, Pinkie Pie had always been to her this bouncy, exuberant source of inexhaustible energy, smiling without a care in the world. Fluttershy realized now that this was all a ruse, a defense mechanism established to hide the real Pinkie Pie, who was a sad pony in desperate need of love. Fluttershy had seen a glimpse of this planning for Pinkie Pie's surprise birthday party, but didn't realize how far back it went. The idea that nopony enjoyed being around her must have reminded her too much of her parents' inability to feel happy about her and triggered the brief psychotic sadness she had been through. Fluttershy desperately hoped she'd never see Pinkie Pie with her mane down again. There had been something frightening about seeing her in such a vulnerable state, something Fluttershy couldn't understand, just as she couldn't understand the extent of dread she felt about her father.

_What about my mother?_ Fluttershy suddenly thought. If anypony could help explain her father, it would be her mother. Fluttershy regretted having lost touch with the woman, who had been too weak-minded to keep Fluttershy from leaving Cloudsdale. The woman had been a terrible role-model for Fluttershy, but Fluttershy still felt sorry for her and wished she could find her and comfort her. But Fluttershy would not know where to begin looking for her. Obviously, she could ask around Cloudsdale, but if her mother had moved and not told anypony, Fluttershy would hit a dead end.

Then again, maybe it _wasn't_ such a bad idea to hit up Cloudsdale. Though her mother had been a recluse, Fluttershy couldn't imagine her moving away without somepony knowing where she had gone. From there she could pick up the search and track the woman down. Anything to remember and relieve the pain Fluttershy had felt growing up. Plus, if it proved successful, Fluttershy will have been able to help Pinkie Pie do the same thing, if Pinkie Pie had been okay with it.

Feeling like she now had a plan, Fluttershy found it easier to fall asleep.

Applejack awoke early in the morning and went down to breakfast. Only Applebloom was in the kitchen, eating a small pile of hay on her plate.

"Mornin', Sugarcube," Applejack said groggily. Applebloom waved sleepily to Applejack and continued to eat her hay.

"How'd ya sleep, hon'?" Applejack asked.

"Fine," Applebloom said through a mouthful of hay.

"Don't talk with yer mouth full, missy," Applejack said. "'Tain't polite."

"Whatever," Applebloom said.

"Care to explain yer attitude?" Applejack asked.

"What attitude?" Applebloom asked with a tone decidedly nasty enough to reveal her attitude.

"Why are you all in a huff?" Applejack asked.

"Why do ya think?" Applebloom asked, slamming her hoof on the table. "Yer hardly around the farm no more! Do ya even realize how much extra work Big Mac has to do while yer gone? We didn't have time yesterday to check on the corn crops! Fer all we know, they could be dyin' out there! Do ya even care?"

"Of course ah care," Applejack said, "but I'm not about to bail on my friends neither. They're important to me. What if ah told you ya couldn't hang around with Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo 'cause we needed yer help harvestin' the apples. Wouldn't ya feel a little put out?"

"Yeah, but you'd make me do it anyway!"

"Course ah would, 'cause ah'm yer older sister. If ah want to see mah friends, though, ah have every right to go whenever ah want."

"It ain't fair, it just ain't fair!" Applebloom shouted, and she looked like she was about to cry.

"Sweetie," Applejack said, softening her tone, "what's the matter?"

"You've just been…so _secretive_ lately and ah hardly git to spend time with ya outside of farm work, and ah really miss you…"

"Applebloom, ah'm sorry. Ah had no idea ya felt that way. Is there anythin' ah can do to make it up to ya?"

"There is one thing…" Applebloom said.

"Name it," Applejack said.

"TELL ME WHAT YER UP TO WITH RAINBOW DASH!"

"Whoa, lower yer voice, missy! 'Tain't no way ah'm gonna tell you what ah do with mah friend. It's hardly any of yer business."

"Aw, come on! It's gotta be juicy, or you wouldn't be tryin' to hide it so much." Applejack groaned.

"Listen to me, Applebloom. Fer the last time, ah'm not gonna tell you what ah do with Rainbow Dash. You've got to learn not to poke yer snout in other ponies' business, ya hear? Yer gonna get yerself in trouble. Don't ya remember the newspaper?"

"Well…ah promise not to tell anyone this time!"

"No deal," Applejack said, finally getting herself some hay to eat and sitting down at the table. "Is there anythin' else ya want me to do for ya?"

"Do all my chores!" Applebloom demanded.

"Now, weren't you the one who said ah needed to help more on the farm? How can ah help when ah'm doing all of _yer_ chores?" Applebloom groaned.

"Forget it. Yer so stubborn, AJ."

"Same goes fer you, AB," Applejack said. "Now look, just because ah like to have a little fun with Rainbow Dash don't mean ah want to ditch the farm, understand?"

"Fun…? What fun?" Applebloom asked.

_Shit!_ Applejack thought.

"Did ah say that?" Applejack said. "Well, it is fun to hang out with yer friends."

"Yeah, but you didn't say yer friends. You said Rainbow Dash. What's so special about her anyway?"

"Ask Scootaloo, she's the one who treats her like Celestia."

"That's not what I meant," Applebloom said, frowning.

"Ah know what you meant," Applejack said, "and I ain't sayin' no more about it."

"You suck…" Applebloom said.

"Watch yer language, missy," Applejack warned.

"Why? Rainbow Dash swears in front of us all the time."

"Rainbow Dash ain't exactly the most foal-friendly pony," Applejack said.

"She's still cooler than you…" Applebloom muttered.

"Hey, ain't nopony cooler than yer older sister."

"Yeah right, yer such a stick in the mud," Applebloom protested. "Yer no fun at all…"

"Whatever," Applejack said. "Say, where are Big Mac and Grannie Smith?"

"Already out in the field, checkin' on the crops," Applebloom said. "They asked me to tell you we've gotta join them as soon as we're done eatin'."

"Then let's get crackin'," Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash had the day off today, so she was casually flying around Ponyville looking for something to do. It wasn't long before she spotted a pink mare bouncing down the street, and Rainbow Dash knew it could only be one pony.

"Hey, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash cried, swooping down to greet her.

"Oh, hiya, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie said, beaming. Rainbow Dash smiled. Something about seeing somepony so happy to see her was really nice. Pinkie Pie was practically bouncing out of her own hide with excitement.

"You're even more wound up than usual," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. "What's the deal?"

"No deal, it's just such a nice day out! You pegasuseses do a great job keeping the weather as beautiful as this."

"Don't mention it," Rainbow Dash said, though she still beamed at the compliment. "So, what are you up to?"

"Oh, not much," Pinkie Pie said, "just taking a stroll through the town. Wanna join me?"

"You know it! I was pretty much doing the same thing," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie jumped for joy and led the way, bouncing across the cobblestone. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but look at Pinkie Pie's rump as it hopped through the air. _That ass…_ she thought. She quickly shook herself out of it, though, reminding herself that she was with Applejack now. Still, Rainbow Dash liked a little junk in the trunk, and though Applejack was hot, she was a bit leaner than Rainbow Dash's usual choice of pony. Pinkie Pie, however, definitely had a sexy booty.

"Whatcha looking at, Dashie?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Uh…what?" Rainbow Dash asked, suddenly embarrassed.

"I was looking at the clouds! Aren't they pretty?"

"Yeah, sure…" Rainbow Dash said. "Um, I was looking at the clouds, too!"

"Let's get out of the town and just lie down and watch the clouds!" Pinkie Pie suggested.

"Sounds great," Rainbow Dash said, wondering if Pinkie Pie could stand lying down for more than five minutes. Expecting this to be quick, Rainbow Dash followed Pinkie Pie out of Ponyville proper and into a grassy field. In the distance, Rainbow Dash could see Sweet Apple Acres and was reminded once again of Applejack. The two ponies lay down in the grass and looked up at the sky.

"Hey," Pinkie Pie said, "that one looks like a cupcake!"

"It does not," Rainbow Dash said, "it's totally an ice cream cone."

"I say…cupcake!" Pinkie Pie said. "See how the frosting swirls up from the base like that? Classic cupcake!"

"That's the ice cream!" Rainbow Dash said. "And that there's the cone."

"No, it's the base of the cake! Really, Dashie, you don't know very much about baking. Maybe sometime you can come into Sugarcube Corner and help me make cupcakes!"

"But you just said I suck at baking," Rainbow Dash said.

"Silly, I'd be doing all the baking. You'd just have to help me with the ingredients!"

"I…think I'll pass," Rainbow Dash said. "Thanks, though."

"No problem!" Pinkie Pie said. "How about that one?"

"Um…I don't see anything," Rainbow Dash said.

"Oh, come on! That doesn't look like a little birdie to you?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"No, not really," Rainbow Dash said.

"Look," Pinkie Pie said, scooting closer to Rainbow Dash and taking her hoof to point at the cloud. "There's the beak, and those are the wings," she said, circling the wings.

"Oh, I see it now," Rainbow Dash said, enjoying Pinkie Pie's proximity admittedly a little too much.

"The clouds really are nice," Pinkie Pie said, snuggling next to Rainbow Dash.

"Oh!" she said. "You don't mind, do you? Only I know you're with Applejack now and…"

"It's cool," Rainbow Dash said. "Applejack wouldn't care."

"You're right! She's a nice pony, she'd understand," Pinkie Pie said before resting her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. Rainbow Dash gulped nervously, knowing she shouldn't be enjoying the company this much but enjoying it all the same.

_Maybe Applejack would understand_, Rainbow Dash thought, _but I certainly don't…_

Spike was out enjoying the beautiful weather, taking a leisurely stroll through Ponyville. Twilight had an assignment for Princess Celestia, so she had given Spike the morning off. It was during the walk that Spike ran into somebody he thought looked familiar. As he approached the stationary figure, he suddenly realized who it was and sprinted to her to close the distance.

"Ruby, what the hell are you doing here?" Spike asked. Ruby turned away shamefully; that hadn't been the way she had wanted to be greeted.

"You don't have to be so harsh, Spike…" she said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Spike said, "I was just really surprised. How far did you have to walk to get here?"

"Pretty far," Ruby said, sighing.

"Well…why?" Spike asked.

"Why do you think?" Ruby asked in return. "Ever since you've left, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, and I know it sounds crazy and that I'm like a total stalker but I don't really care because it's so great to see you and wow I sound like a nutcase right now but―"

"Okay, okay," Spike said, "I think I get it."

"Do you?" Ruby asked with a shimmer in her eyes.

"I, um…well, maybe not," Spike said, although he had a sneaking suspicion that if Rarity moved, he might have done the same thing.

_I didn't know she liked me _this_ much_, Spike thought.

"Well, look, Ruby," Spike said. "I'm very flattered that you came all this way to see me, but I think you should be going home."

"You do?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, won't your family miss you?" Spike asked.

"Not really," Ruby said. "Dragons don't pay attention to their families very much. At least my parents don't…" Spike felt a twinge of sadness for Ruby, so decided to backtrack a bit.

"Well, do you have somewhere to stay?"

"I'm at a hotel," Ruby said.

"Oh, good," Spike said. "Well, since you're here, I guess we can hang out as friends. Does that sound good?"

_It's not enough_, Ruby thought, but given that Spike wasn't running away from her in horror, she thought it best, for the time being, to take what she could get.

"That sounds lovely," she said.

Late in the afternoon, Twilight was still busy working on an assignment from Princess Celestia. Spike walked into the bedroom and groaned.

"Twilight, you haven't been outside yet?" Spike asked.

"Hello to you too, Spike," Twilight said, not even looking up from her paper.

"Twilight, it's a gorgeous day outside. You should take a break and enjoy the weather," Spike said. "Besides, you'll never believe who I just ran into."

"Who?"

"Ruby!" Spike said.

"What?" Twilight asked in shock. "But how did she…?"

"Travel all the way to Ponyville? I have no idea," Spike said. "But I spent the day with her and we talked about Ponyville. I showed her all the cool spots, but she said she didn't want to meet any of my friends yet. We'll probably hang out again tomorrow."

"And you're sure this isn't like a date?" Twilight asked.

"Of course it's not," Spike said.

"Are you sure she feels that way about it?" Twilight asked, smirking.

"What do ya mean?" Spike asked.

"I mean I just don't want you to lead her on," Twilight said.

"Well, I'm not doing that," Spike said.

"That's good," Twilight said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work. Maybe you can straighten out the library for me. Does that sound good?"

"I guess," Spike said, "though I don't see why. The library isn't even open on Tuesdays."

"But we need to be ready for tomorrow," Twilight said.

"I know," Spike said before leaving Twilight to her work.

As Princess Celestia finished setting the sun for her sister, she was thinking about what Luna had said to her yesterday. At first, she had flat out refused to entertain Luna's strange fantasy, and she thought she had scolded her harshly enough. But now that she was thinking about it, strange things were entering her head.

Being an immortal being, Celestia knew better than to fall in love with any mortal pony. After all, what was the point if she was just going to have to watch them die? But Luna, on the other hoof, was immortal like her. And even though she was her sister, there was something touching about the way she had tried to teach her to masturbate and wondered where that feeling of warmth came from. Was it sisterly camaraderie or something more?

Celestia shook her head. It was sinful to even think of such a thing, she told herself. It's best to just leave it alone.

_And yet_, she thought, _that it's forbidden makes it all the more enticing…_

_ Get a hold of yourself, princess! You know better than to entertain such perverted thoughts!_

_ Oh, give me a break. I'm the ruler of Equestria. I'm allowed to think whatever I want._

_ But as ruler of Equestria, you have to set the example for the other ponies_, Celestia told herself. _You mustn't consider doing anything immoral, or the consequences could be dire._

Celestia realized that this was true, but the thought was too titillating to let go. Perhaps she would apologize to Luna sometime and see what she thought of the whole thing. Surely the two of them could work _something_ out…


	15. Just a Four Letter Word

**Chapter 15: Just a Four-Letter Word**

"Well, dear, I must say this was a brilliant idea," Rarity said. She and Twilight were on Twilight's bed in the middle of the Everfree Forest, which had been teleported there earlier. They had also cast a magical sphere that would prevent the creatures of the forest from seeing, hearing, smelling, or approaching them. Twilight had stumbled upon the spell the other day and had decided that this was a good situation in which to use it.

"Thank you, Rarity," Twilight said humbly.

"And it's _so_ romantic," Rarity said. "I mean, just look at all those stars. It's magnificent."

_Romantic?_ Twilight asked herself, confused. She decided to think nothing of it.

"So, um…what did you have in mind?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, dear, just stargazing for now. They really are quite beautiful."

"I suppose you're right," Twilight said, gazing upon the stars and taking in their beauty. Twilight smiled, remembering what was on her cutie mark. Rarity snuggled close to Twilight and rested her head on Twilight's shoulder.

"Recognize any of the constellations?" Twilight asked Rarity.

"Not really," Rarity said. "They just look so pretty twinkling in the night sky, as if they were each their own little gem sparkling on a gorgeous black ensemble."

"Don't tell that to Spike. You'll work up his appetite," Twilight said with a giggle.

"I never quite got that," Rarity said. "What nutritional value is there in the gems for dragons? I mean, how can they even digest them?"

"Dragons are made from tougher stuff than ponies," Twilight said, "but otherwise I don't know. There haven't been any books written about the anatomy and physiology of dragons."

"You know what, dear?" Rarity said. "I think _you_ should study dragons and publish your findings. It seems there is a shortage of suitable material, so you might be tapping into a new market. Think of the money you could make."

"Rarity, I'm a librarian, not an author. I'm nowhere near intelligent enough to perform such research. Besides, it would be dangerous."

"Not if you used Spike as a case study," Rarity proffered. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Spike's a baby," Twilight said. "Any serious study of dragons has to span their entire lifetime."

"Well, it's a start, at least," Rarity said.

"It would take a long time to finish," Twilight said.

"Oh, what are we doing?" Rarity suddenly asked. "Babbling on about dragons when we really came here to mess around!"

"That's unicorns for you," Twilight said with a smile. Rarity laughed.

"I suppose we are rather geeky," Rarity said. "It comes with the species."

"It sure does," Twilight said. She suddenly leaned over and gave Rarity a saucy kiss on the lips.

"Mm, that's more like it…" Rarity whispered before returning the kiss passionately. Twilight's hooves wrapped around Rarity's neck as she pulled Rarity's body closer to her. Rarity rubbed her hind hoof against Twilight's hind leg, which prompted Twilight to spread her legs open. Rarity's vagina then pressed against Twilight's, and as Rarity flipped Twilight onto her stomach she started to hump her rigorously. Twilight let out gasps and moans that spurred Rarity on further, and Rarity used her magic to tickle Twilight's insides, which Twilight found incredibly arousing.

"Don't stop, don't stop…" Twilight chanted in between gasps as Rarity thrust harder and harder. Soon Twilight's gasps became cries of delight as she could feel her juices secrete onto her sheets.

"That's it, Twilight," Rarity said. "Am I making you come?"

"Yes, yes, OH SWEET CELESTIA YES!" Twilight cried as her orgasm started. Rarity did not relent until Twilight was completely spent. Rarity then leaned over and nibbled her ear.

"Was that fun?" Rarity asked.

"Yes…" Twilight whispered, exhausted.

"So when is it going to be my turn?" Rarity breathed into her ear.

"Not for a while!" Twilight said. "You tired me out!"

"Did I?" Rarity said. "Well, that isn't very generous of you, and I think I know generosity."

"You certainly do," Twilight said. "Just give me a minute."

"All right," Rarity said. "Whenever you're ready, dear."

Rainbow Dash had been unable to sleep. She was now soaring through the night sky at breakneck speeds, trying to outrun her chasing thoughts, but she was losing that battle. Shouts of scolding versions of herself kept popping into her head, telling her that she was a liar and a cheat, even though she hadn't done anything.

_How dare you lie to Applejack about loving her?_

_ How could you even think about cheating on her with Pinkie Pie?_

_ Shame on you for being such a pervert!_

"SHUT UP!" Rainbow Dash cried aloud as she flew ever faster. Tears were streaming in her eyes and clouding her vision. She flew through a crowd and nearly hit a high cliff side before swerving out of the way just in time.

_I need to be more careful_, Rainbow Dash thought. _This is really getting to my head._

Rainbow Dash landed and sat on top of the cliff, trying to figure out what was causing her sudden attraction to Pinkie Pie. At first she thought it was strictly physical, that she preferred a more rounded pony to Applejack's lean frame. But this seemed terribly superficial and highly unlikely, so Rainbow Dash turned to better explanations.

Perhaps Pinkie Pie represented a relief from Applejack's personality. She seemed to be everything Applejack was not―impulsive instead of uptight, flexible instead of stubborn, happy-go-lucky instead of stressed out and worried. Rainbow Dash was a lot more like Applejack, but she found a nice balance with Pinkie Pie that couldn't be present with the orange-colored mare. She was reminded of the cliché "opposites attract" and realized that some clichés have meaningful origins.

But this was crazy, Rainbow Dash thought. She'd only known Pinkie Pie as a friend, while she had been dating Applejack for nearly two weeks. _Wow_, Rainbow Dash thought, _two weeks and I'm already thinking of jumping ship. Am I really that afraid of a commitment?_

Now Rainbow Dash had stumbled onto the real problem. Ever since being dumped back in flight school, she had become afraid to grow to close to another pony for fear of having her heart broken when said pony inevitably dumped her. This implied that she considered herself unlovable, but Rainbow Dash didn't know herself well enough to come to that conclusion. She merely observed that she was afraid to fall too deeply for somepony. If that were the case, then Pinkie Pie in this scenario was Rainbow Dash's escape hatch.

_I'm a terrible pony_, Rainbow Dash thought, burying her face in her hooves and starting to cry. It was only when she reminded herself that nothing unfaithful had actually occurred that she began to calm down.

_I am the Element of Loyalty_, Rainbow Dash said to herself proudly. _There's _no way _I'm going to cheat on Applejack. I think I should admit the truth to her, that I don't really love her, at least not yet, and see how she takes it. Odds are it probably won't be good, but hey, what can I do?_

Feeling better about herself, Rainbow Dash returned home and slept soundly, oblivious to her nerves about revealing her feelings to Applejack.

"Ow!" Fluttershy cried as Pinkie Pie whipped her rump.

"Beg me to stop!" Pinkie Pie demanded.

"Um…stop?" Fluttershy asked. Pinkie Pie whipped her again.

"I couldn't hear you!" Pinkie Pie screamed before cracking the whip again.

"Stop."

"Louder!"

"STOP!"

"LOUDER!"

"GUMMY!"

"Oh, no! Are you okay, Fluttershy?"

"No, Pinkie Pie, I'm not okay," Fluttershy said with tears in her eyes.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Only a little…"

"Then what's wrong?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"It's just…this is too much," Fluttershy said.

"Too much…?" Pinkie Pie asked, unsure of what to think of Fluttershy's change of heart. Just a week ago Fluttershy had taken relish in tying Pinkie Pie's limbs to her bedposts and eating her out with relish.

"Yes," Fluttershy said, "it's too much."

"Well, can I do anything to tone it down?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I don't think so," Fluttershy said. "I think we should just stop…"

"Are you sure?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I'm having so much fun…"

"Are you?"

"Huh?"

"Is it _really_ fun for you? Or are you just saying that?"

"I…well…" To be honest, being so aggressive against poor Fluttershy really felt wrong to Pinkie Pie. At first the wrongness had made it more alluring, but now it left Pinkie Pie with an ill feeling in her stomach that she just couldn't shake.

"I guess I kinda just said it," Pinkie Pie explained. "It feels wrong to keep hurting you like that, even when you tell me you like it, so I guess I'm glad you asked me to stop."

"It's not that I want to stop forever," Fluttershy said. "I just think I want to take a break for now."

"I understand," Pinkie Pie said. "But it was definitely fun while it lasted."

"Maybe," Fluttershy said.

"Now, hold on," Pinkie Pie objected. "How long have you felt this way?"

"I don't know, ever since, well…" Pinkie Pie didn't need Fluttershy to finish her statement.

"Still have daddy issues, huh?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I understand. It's no fun when you're reminded of your mean old drunk daddy beating you up when you were just a filly." Fluttershy started to tear up, and Pinkie Pie gave her a hug.

"There there," she said. "It's okay. You don't have to pretend to like it anymore."

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said through her tears.

"Don't be. I'm the one that should be sorry."

"But you were only doing what I said I wanted," Fluttershy said.

"Still, I should have known you were just faking it for me."

"No, it's fine. I'm good at being fake…"

The morning after Twilight and Rarity's fooling around in the forest, Rarity had returned to the boutique. She had allowed Sweetie Belle to help her with her work, as Sweetie Belle was staying over today and Applebloom was busy on the farm.

"What happened with Scootaloo?" Rarity asked.

"I'm not sure. I told her Rarity's gonna be busy so we should go to her house, then she kind of mumbled something and told me it couldn't happen. So I guess I'm hanging out with you today, huh, big sis?"

"I suppose you are," Rarity said. "The only thing is, have you ever been invited to Scootaloo's house?"

"Actually, no, I haven't," Sweetie Belle said. "We usually just hang out at the clubhouse. But without Applebloom, it doesn't feel right to hang out there."

"I see," Rarity said, though she wasn't quite sure if she did. "In any case, I'm glad you're here to help me today. I have a big order, and it's very helpful to have you get me my materials when I ask for them."

"I wish I could help more," Sweetie Belle said. Rarity giggled in spite of herself; Sweetie Belle really was a disaster when it came to sewing. If only she had Fluttershy here also. _Now _there's _a mare who could make my work go by twice as fast!_ she thought.

"Sweetie, you're being very helpful," Rarity said.

"So, look," Sweetie Belle said, "I know we've been kind of pushy lately when it comes to finding out about Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I just want to know why everypony's being so _secretive_ about it."

"Secretive?" Rarity asked. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Applejack and Twilight both said it's none of our business, and Rainbow Dash freaked out when we asked her," Sweetie Belle said. "Why's everypony gotta act so mysterious?"

"Well, dear, I wish I could say more, but it's a little complicated," Rarity said, "too complicated, in fact, for a young filly to comprehend. Maybe when you're older, you'll understand."

"I'm not a little filly…" Sweetie Belle muttered.

"Of course you're not, dear," Rarity said, rubbing Sweetie Belle's head. "It's just that there are some things in this world that are difficult to understand."

"But if you told me, I could _try_ to understand," Sweetie Belle said.

"Now, now," Rarity said, "that's enough, child. If Applejack says it's none of your business, then she has every right to her privacy."

"I know…" Sweetie Belle said.

"Now, be a dear and pass me that green fabric over there."

"Yes, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said, dejected as she helped her big sister with the fabric.

Twilight had made a lot of headway on her assignment for today, so she decided a nice stroll through the town would help her clear her head and allow her to tackle the rest of the assignment that afternoon. Telling Spike where she was headed, she left the library and began walking through the town. Along the way to the marketplace, she saw Applejack's brother carrying a basket full of food on his back. Twilight went over to say hello.

"Hi, Big Mac," Twilight said, inexplicably flustered to see him.

"Hello, Twilight," Big Mac said, and something about his voice made Twilight subconsciously swoon.

"Whatcha got there?" Twilight asked, rather dumbly in retrospect.

"Food," Big Mac said, being his usual muted self.

"I can see that," Twilight said with a nervous giggle. "What's the food for?"

"Eatin'" Big Mac said. Twilight stared at the stallion with confusion.

"Am…I missing something?" she asked.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said with a chuckle. "Ah suppose ah'd best explain mahself a little better. We grow plenty of crops at Sweet Apple Acres, but to make the food we want we have to buy some at the marketplace, 'cause our fields ain't no good fer growin' some of that stuff."

"Oh, I see," Twilight said. "You don't mind if I join you while you're shopping, do you?"

"Nope," Big Mac said, and Twilight followed him as he walked to the display of cabbages. "What brings ya hear, Twilight?"

"Oh, I just needed a break from my studies, that's all."

"Whatcha studyin'?"

"Um…" Twilight said, not sure how much Big Mac knew about Princess Celestia's assignment. "Actually, I'm studying friendship."

"Eeyup, yer sister said she kinda got hog-tied into joinin' you, too," Big Mac said with another chuckle. Twilight loved the sound of his laugh.

"Hog-tied?" Twilight asked.

"As a matter of speakin'" Big Mac said. "She actually really enjoys it."

"Well, that's good," Twilight said, hoping that Big Mac was telling the truth.

"Hey," Big Mac said, "you live in that there library, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Twilight said.

"That's cool. I ain't never been there mahself. You got a lot of interestin' books?"

"Oh, we've got tons!" Twilight said, suddenly excited. "If you like Daring Do, we have the whole series. Rainbow Dash can't get enough of those. And there's a whole section devoted to the history of Equestria, including one book about Grannie Smith and the origin of Ponyville. There's also spell books if you're interested in reading that sort of thing. I know you're not a unicorn but it's still fascinating, and I also have―"

"Okay, okay, ah get it. Ya have a lot of books," Big Mac said. Twilight flushed.

"Well, yeah," she said lamely.

"It's okay. Ah reckon ah should stop over sometime."

"You totally should!" Twilight said. "I could give you a tour!"

"Oh, hi there!" a pony called from the distance. Cheerilee then ran over to greet Twilight and Big Mac.

"Hi, Cheerilee," Twilight said. "Enjoying the summer off?"

"Yes, Twilight. I love the foals to death, but it's nice to have a break from them for a few months. It helps me keep my head for the next class of youngsters. Have they been taking books out of the library?"

"Well…" Twilight said, thinking, "to be honest…not really."

"Oh," Cheerilee said, "well, I knew they wouldn't. They are foals, after all." Cheerilee chuckled.

"Oh, um, Twilight," Big Mac said, "ah was gonna get lunch with Cheerilee today. Yer welcome to join us if it ain't too much trouble."

"Oh," Twilight said, and then suddenly realized that she would feel like the third wheel of the group. "It's okay, but I really have to continue studying. Thanks for the offer, though. You two have fun." Twilight walked away feeling surprisingly crestfallen. Cheerilee looked at Big Mac, who shrugged his shoulders.

"She doesn't think there's…something going on between us, right?" Cheerilee asked.

"Beats me," Big Mac said.

When Spike saw Twilight looking so downhearted when she returned to the library, he immediately went over to her to ask what was wrong.

"It's nothing, Spike," Twilight said, though she felt sad and confused all of a sudden.

"Come on, Twilight, you can tell me anything," Spike said.

"It's…oh, Spike, I'm so confused."

"Huh?" Spike asked, surprised that Twilight was actually choosing to confide in him. He guessed she just needed someone to talk to.

"What's confusing?" Spike asked.

"Well, I just got back from seeing Big Macintosh, and I felt like a little school filly with some huge crush…"

"A crush?" Spike asked.

"Yes, Spike, like when somepony meets somepony else who makes them feel―"

"I know what a crush is," Spike interrupted. "Believe me," he added, thinking about Rarity. "So what's the problem?"

"He's taking Cheerilee to lunch as we speak," Twilight said.

"Oh, I see…wait, maybe I don't."

"As in a date?" Twilight said.

"Oh…" Spike said, realization dawning on him. "Wait, how do you know he's taking Cheerilee to lunch? You talk to Big Mac about his love life?"

"No, we ran into Cheerilee and then Big Mac invited me."

"Wait, he _invited_ you to his date?" Spike asked.

"Well…yeah, I guess," Twilight said.

"Well, that's two possibilities right there, Twilight. Either it's not really a date, or Big Mac's trying to score a threesome. Knowing Big Mac, I'd go with the first option."

"Oh, well that makes sense now…" Twilight said, mentally kicking herself for not realizing it earlier.

"Don't sweat it, Twilight, there's always next time," Spike said.

"I suppose you're right, Spike. Hey, have you talked to Ruby today?"

"I've been cleaning the library all morning, like you asked me to," Spike deadpanned.

"Oh, right! Sorry," Twilight said.

"Hey, I still don't know what to do about her," Spike said.

"Well, do you like her?" Twilight asked.

"She's a good friend," Spike said, "but it's weird that she followed me all the way to Ponyville. I don't think I'd even do that for Rarity…"

"Spike."

"You're right, I totally would do that for Rarity, but I'm like crazy about her. But doesn't that mean Ruby's just as much in love with me?"

"Probably," Twilight said.

"Then aren't I just leading her on?" Spike asked.

"I don't think you should really worry about that, Spike," Twilight said. "After all, you were clear about how you felt, right? I say hang out with her like good friends do and see what happens. Who knows? Your feelings might change over time."

"I guess that makes sense…" Spike said, thinking.

As Rainbow Dash flew to Sweet Apple Acres, she saw Applejack busy watering the vegetables. Applebloom and Grannie Smith were nowhere in sight, so this seemed like the perfect time to swoop down and talk.

"Consarn it, RD, don't scare me like that!" Applejack cursed as Rainbow Dash landed right in front of her. "Ya almost gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," Rainbow Dash said. "I just really needed to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Applejack asked, noticing how fidgety Rainbow Dash was and guessing that whatever she had to say couldn't be good.

"Well, it's gonna be hard to explain, so I need you to hear me out." This definitely wasn't good, Applejack thought.

"Remember when you told me you loved me?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack's heart sunk.

"Don't tell me…" Applejack said.

"Look, Applejack, I still really like you, it's just―"

"Nope, ah don't wanna hear it, Rainbow Dash. Ya lied to me and there's nothin' else to it. Ah can't tolerate bein' with someone who can't be honest with me."

"Please, Applejack, I can explain―"

"Explain what? How ya used me for sex? Dear Celestia, ah can't even ask that without feelin' sick to mah stomach. Yer unbelievable, Rainbow Dash, ya really are."

"It wasn't like that, I swear! Look, I have a commitment problem."

"Yer darn tootin'! You can't even tell somepony ya love 'em without doublin' back, ya dirty coward."

"Hey, do _not_ call me a coward! Do you know how much bravery it took to even bring this up to you?"

"Ah really don't give a fuck, Rainbow Dash! Ya can't just swoop on in and drop a bombshell like that and not expect me to be fuckin' pissed!"

"Geez, can you tone down the language a little?"

"Oh, ah don't believe this. No, Rainbow Dash! This is mah fuckin' farm, and ah'll fuckin' say whatever the fuck ah want, ya cunt."

"Whoa! That was uncalled for!"

"So is lyin' to me, you bitch."

"Oh, I don't have to listen to this," Rainbow Dash said before taking off.

"Yep, go right ahead, Rainbow Dash! Just dump on me and leave! That's what ya do best!" As Rainbow Dash flew out of sight, Applejack let the tears fall. She couldn't believe her own friend could betray her trust.

But was it a stupid thing to be upset about? After all, love was just a four-letter word. But no, not to Applejack it wasn't. To her it meant a deep commitment, exactly the thing that Rainbow Dash was afraid of. And it wouldn't even bother Applejack if the two of them weren't having sex.

It's that Applejack had been used and manipulated that really made her upset. She had thought only the cruelest of stallions would think to stoop so low. She never expected that from one of her best friends. That Rainbow Dash had been so close and known her for so long, only to blatantly lie about loving her, was almost too sickening to stand.

But stand she would anyway. Applejack wouldn't let heartbreak like this slow her down. She was too strong for that, or so she thought.

"Luna?" Celestia asked, knocking on the bedroom door of her sister. "I know you're about to fall asleep for the day, but I wanted to talk to you." A dark blue aura surrounded the doorknob, and Luna opened the door for her sister and let her in.

"What is it, Celestia?" Luna asked.

"I…well, this is a little awkward, but…I wanted to apologize for writing you off the other day when it came to…you know…"

"Oh," Luna said. "Well, I'm sorry for bringing it up. It really wasn't a very good idea."

"See, that's what I thought at first, too," Celestia said, "but then I thought about it." Luna perked up, listening attentively. Surely she didn't mean…?

"Well," Celestia explained, "first of all, we beings are some of the only immortal creatures in Equestria. If we were to try to be with anypony, we might as well pick another immortal, as all the mortals will eventually have to leave us. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Luna said, stomach boiling with excitement.

"Second, I at first thought the idea would be looked down upon, but then I remembered that we, as the rulers of Equestria, are the ones to set the moral standard. I think that exempts us from any judgment from the other ponies, don't you think?"

"Uh-huh," Luna said, not sure if she could believe her ears.

"Finally," Celestia said, "I won't lie to you, Luna, I did find the prospect intriguing… Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that before we write this off as a terrible idea, we should at least be open-minded enough to try something."

"What…what did you have in mind?" Luna asked, practically salivating at the thought of her wildest fantasy coming true.

"Something small, maybe some light kissing," Celestia said.

"Okay!" Luna said, failing to repress her excitement. Celestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Luna leaned forward nervously, but then Celestia closed the gap and their lips touched. Sparks flew within their bodies as their lips met, enticing each of the alicorns to sink deeper into the kiss. Celestia took charge and explored Luna's mouth with her tongue, which Luna found unbelievably delightful.

The two of them kissed for a while before breaking apart. Celestia gazed into Luna's eyes in a way that she never had before, and it made Luna quake with excitement.

"How…how was it?" Luna asked.

"Good," Celestia said, "very good. We may have something here." Celestia turned to trot away.

"Wait!" Luna cried. "Aren't we going to…"

"I don't think I'm ready yet," Celestia said. "Perhaps some other time, dear." Luna accepted this as Celestia walked away. She went to sleep imagining just what that other time would entail, and as she slept she let that imagination run.


	16. Nigh Uncontainable

**Chapter 16: Nigh Uncontainable**

"Come on, Twilight, you've gotta do it!"

"I don't want to, Spike," Twilight said.

"Twilight, seriously, you need to ask the stallion out. Pardon me for being blunt, but of all my friends, you're the one who most needs to get laid."

_Clearly he's still clueless about Rarity_, Twilight thought. _Good._

"Spike, what am I supposed to do? Go up to him and say 'Hey, Big Mac, how's the weather. Would you like to get dinner sometime?'"

"Not exactly, Twilight, but you've gotta find a way to work it into the conversation. Try to be a little flirty for once in your life."

"Spike, I know nothing about the art of flirtation! Seriously, the other mares make it look so easy. You should have seen the eyes Bon Bon was making at Lyra the other day. It's like she's a total natural."

"Bon Bon and…huh?" Spike asked.

"Not important. The important thing is that it was hard enough for me to make friends. How am I supposed to ask somepony on a _date_?"

"It's simple, Twilight. You just put your hoof down and do it."

"Easy for you to say, Spike. You're the one who's got a dragon hanging all over you."

"Leave Ruby out of this. She's not a part of this conversation."

"She should be. Why don't _you_ work up the dragon balls to ask her out?"

"Excuse me! I'm not about to ask someone out who I don't like."

"Listen to me, Spike!" Twilight exclaimed. "You don't have to be madly in love with someone to ask them out. Just take her on a date and see how it goes. You might find yourself falling for her the more you get to know her."

"Huh, you might have a point there…" Spike said.

"Of course I have a point! When are you going to meet another dragon as nice as Ruby? When are you going to meet another dragon at all? It's not like there's any here in Ponyville, and you didn't like any of the ones you met while you were away."

"You're right about that…" Spike said.

"Of course I'm right!"

"Okay, okay. Chill out, Twilight."

"Sorry, Spike, it's just that the prospect of asking Big Mac out is really stressful."

"Twilight, you're overthinking it. You should just do it to have fun. Celestia knows you don't have enough of it."

"You're right. I shouldn't have complained so much in my last couple of letters." That hadn't been what Spike had meant, but he let it slide.

"Listen, Twilight, you know I'm always there for you, right? So go ahead and take a risk. What's the worst that could happen?"

"I could make a huge foal of myself," Twilight said. "What would Big Mac think of me?"

"He'd probably be flattered," Spike said. "How often does that big lug get any attention?"

"That's true, he is rather withdrawn," Twilight thought. "In fact, he's a little _too_ withdrawn. He barely says two words to me when I walk past him."

"Oh, Twilight, you know that's just how he is."

"That's a good point," Twilight said. "You know what, you're right. No need to be so foalish. I'll ask Big Mac out to dinner…"

"That's the spirit, Twilight!"

"…on one condition."

"Name it," Spike said, happy he had convinced his friend to follow her heart.

"You have to ask Ruby out." Spike shook his head.

"Do you know how easy that's gonna be?" Spike asked. "It's a deal."

"Good. Let's go seek them out. We'll meet back here when we're done to see how everything went."

"That sounds good to me, Twilight."

Twilight looked all around the marketplace, hoping that Big Mac would be shopping for more food for the farm, but he was nowhere to be seen. A quick glance at the crowd had told Twilight that, as Big Mac was a hard pony to miss. She decided that if Big Mac wasn't around Ponyville, he had to be on the farm, so Twilight headed off to Sweet Apple Acres.

Along the way, Twilight's stomach was jittery with nerves. Every step she took seemed to take a conscious effort, and it was all she could do to keep herself from turning around and galloping right back to the library. She could simply tell Spike he had said no, right?

But deep in her heart, Twilight knew that chickening out would be the wrong way to see this through. No matter what the answer was from Big Mac, Twilight would feel better knowing that she had at least tried. It was with this resolve that Twilight walked onto the farm and ran into Applejack.

"Mornin', partner," Applejack said, seemingly distracted as she rolled barrels of apples into the barn for storage, although her heart was far more troubled than her hooves. "What brings you to this here neck o' the woods?"

"Oh, um…" Twilight said, feeling woefully unprepared to explain why she was here to Applejack. "Well, I was…"

"Spit it out, Twilight. Ah don't have all day."

"Sorry," Twilight said. "I was just wondering if I could speak to your brother."

"Huh?" Applejack asked. "You and Big Mac hardly talk. Why do ya suddenly want to speak with him?"

"Well…" Twilight said. "I kind of sort of maybe have a little bit of a crush on him and I want to ask him out." Twilight threw in a wide smile for good measure. Applejack stared incredulously at her and then started to laugh.

"Whew, is that all? Shoot, ah thought it was somethin' more serious!"

"It is serious…" Twilight muttered.

"Oh, Sugarcube, ah'm just teasin' you is all. He's stackin' the apple barrels in the barn if ya want to see him."

"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight said.

"Yer welcome, Sugarcube. Good luck!" Twilight smiled as she slowly trotted into the barn. Applejack let out a sigh, hoping Twilight had better luck than she was having right now.

Twilight found the burgundy stallion hard at work lifting the barrels with his front hooves and stacking them atop one another. It looked like exhausting work. Seeing an opportunity to help, Twilight levitated one of the barrels to the top of a high stack for him.

"Shoot, Twilight, ya startled me," Big Mac said, looking at the purple mare with a smile. "But thanks."

"You…you're welcome," Twilight said, her heart aflutter. Somehow this was far more nerve-wracking than anything she had been doing with Rarity lately.

"So what's up?" Big Mac asked, deciding that Twilight's arrival was a good enough excuse to take a break.

"Oh, well…" Twilight said, mentally kicking herself for hesitating so much this morning. "I just wanted to see how you were doing…"

"Ya did?" Big Mac asked, confused. "Ya hardly ever come visit way out here on the farm. Must be somethin' special fer you to be here. So what is it?"

Twilight had not planned to be put under the spotlight so soon. She began to shake and could tell she was starting to sweat. Twilight shook her head and decided it was best to just blurt it out.

"?" Turns out Twilight had blurted it out too quickly, as Big Mac was staring at her with confusion.

"Uh…beg yer pardon?" he asked. Twilight took a deep breath and started again.

"Sorry," Twilight said. "Big Mac, I really like you and I want to go out with you. Would you care to join me for dinner?"

"Oh," Big Mac said, suddenly flustered. He began to blush and decided to resume his barrel stacking in order to give himself time to think. Twilight's heart plummeted. If he was taking this long to respond to her, surely that meant that he wasn't interested and was trying to find a way to let her down easy.

Truth be told, Big Mac was glad that Twilight had asked him out, because he had wanted to get to know her better for a long time. He told nopony about it, but he had kept her Smarty Pants doll hidden under his bed, and once in a while would take it out and sleep with it. Until today, he had thought his interest in Twilight had gone unrequited, but suddenly here was a sign that this was more than just a wild dream. Somehow, things were coming together just perfectly. Big Mac wasn't sure if he was ready for this moment.

He saw the look on Twilight's face that told him she expected the worse, and his heart plummeted. Deciding that he was a full-grown stallion and that this was no time to get into such foalish misgivings, he took a deep breath and answered.

"Eeyup," he said.

Meanwhile, Spike was looking around Ponyville for Ruby. She had told him where she was staying, but when he had asked the front desk at the hotel, they told him she was out. He had spent a good part of the morning looking for her, but had no idea where she could be found.

_Come on_, he thought. _How hard could it be to find a dragon in Ponyville?_ Soon, however, Spike caught a glimpse of her walking down the road on the other side of a crowd. Spike made his way through the crowd as politely and as quickly as he could and caught up to Ruby on the other side.

"Hey Ruby," Spike said, panting as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh, hi…" Ruby said. The memory of Spike asking to be just friends still pained her.

"Look," Spike said, deciding to cut to the chase. "I've been thinking about what I said a few days ago, and it really wasn't fair of me to not give you a shot. If you don't mind, I was wondering if you wanted to get dinner tonight."

"What…?" Ruby asked, her heart skipping a beat. Surely she hadn't heard him correctly.

"I'm asking you out, Ruby," Spike said. "How often do I get to meet a dragon as awesome as you?" Ruby looked like she was on the verge of tears, but smiled wide and gave Spike a hug."

"Of course I'll go!" she said.

"Great," Spike said, wondering what he was getting himself into.

Spike returned to the library first, while Twilight came back about half an hour later. It was now nearly noon, so Spike had prepared a lunch while waiting for Twilight, and now that she was back they sat down and started to eat.

"So how did it go?" Twilight asked Spike.

"She said no," Spike said.

"What?" Twilight asked, shocked.

"I'm just kidding," Spike said. "You were right, of course. It was the easiest thing in the world. I'm not sure if I'm getting a little over my head, though."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"I mean she seemed a little _too_ happy that I asked her out. She was practically crying tears of joy," Spike said.

"Oh, Spike, I think that's a good thing. She really cares about you," Twilight said.

"Yeah, but that's a lot to live up to, especially on my first real date."

"Oh, relax," Twilight said. "You're going to be fine."

"So how about you?" Spike asked. "Did the big lug say yes or what?" Twilight could barely hide her giddiness.

"Yes!" she said, squealing and bouncing in her chair. Spike laughed.

"That's great, Twilight! Where are you guys going?"

"We're stopping by the Ponyville Inn for dinner."

"No kidding! That's where Ruby and I are going! Is this tonight?"

"Yes," Twilight said.

"Then we're gonna be at the same place!" Spike said. "Should we make it a double date?"

"Not yet," Twilight said.

"Right, sorry. Guess I wasn't thinking," Spike said.

"Don't worry about it, Spike. This is going to be so much fun!"

"I hope so," Spike said. "I hope so."

As Applejack continued to roll the barrels into the barn, her thoughts became more and more muddled about her fight with Rainbow Dash the day before. The pain of her rejection still stung, and along with that came the guilt Applejack felt about yelling at her the way she had. To be upset was one thing. To call Rainbow Dash a cunt was something quite different. Betrayed or not, there was no reason for Applejack to have used such language against one of her best friends.

_It's too late now, AJ_, she thought. _What's said is said, and what's done is done._ But deep down in her heart, Applejack somehow convinced herself that she and Rainbow Dash weren't done quite yet.

_Am ah really considerin' givin' that backstabber another chance?_ she asked herself. Yes, it was true that Rainbow Dash had totally violated her trust. It was also true that Rainbow Dash was the most loyal of friends, and that she was bound to screw things up once in a while. Maybe Rainbow Dash had been confused about how she felt. Applejack certainly wouldn't have blamed her for that; just a few weeks ago she'd been wondering if she liked other mares. But the enormity of Rainbow Dash's lying was too much to just overlook.

_Oh, what am ah gonna do?_ Applejack asked. She didn't want to admit to her friends what had happened between them, as they would be disappointed that they were having trouble. Nopony else knew about them, especially not Applejack's relatives, who would certainly not take kindly to the news that she was a filly fooler. Applejack felt lonelier than she ever had in her life.

She pushed another barrel into the barn and sighed audibly enough for her brother to hear.

"What's wrong, AJ?" Big Mac asked.

"What?" Applejack said back. "Oh, nothin'…just tired is all."

"Are ya sure?" Big Mac asked.

"Positive," Applejack said. "Hey, did Twilight ever…?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac said. "We're goin' out tonight to the Ponyville Inn fer dinner."

"That's just swell," Applejack said, trying to mask her jealousy. She wished she could just go to dinner with Rainbow Dash again like the whole fight had never happened, even if it meant having to stomach her eating fish again.

"Sure is," Big Mac said. "Ah'm really excited."

"Ah bet you are, Big Mac. Good luck with that."

"Thanks, sis," Big Mac said. Applejack left the barn to grab another barrel, happy for her brother but miserable about her own situation.

Rainbow Dash was lying on a hilltop, the very same hilltop, in fact, where he had spent time with Pinkie Pie the day before. There were no clouds in the sky this time, however, so no shapes to try to discern to distract her thoughts. How could she have been so stupid to treat Applejack like that? How could she have let such a good thing slip away? And why were her feelings for Pinkie Pie starting to grow?

Rainbow Dash didn't know if it was good timing or not when Pinkie Pie bounced on over to her.

"Hey, Dashie," Pinkie Pie said, her voice more somber than usual due to Rainbow Dash's visible unrest. "I saw you flying up here looking all saddy-waddy so I decided to follow you. I hope you don't mind…"

"Not at all, Pinkie Pie, I need someone to talk to," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie lay down next to her friend but decided to give her some personal space this time. Something had definitely gone wrong with Rainbow Dash, and she wanted to hear what it was before attempting to console her.

"So…is everything okay with Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"No," Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. "Things are terrible. I lied to her and told her I loved her. Then, when I decided to come clean, she chewed me out and I just abandoned her."

"What?" Pinkie Pie asked. "But…why would you do that?"

"Why would I do what?"

"Lie to her?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh, well…it's kind of embarrassing…"

"Don't worry, Dashie. You can tell me. You know how good I am about keeping secrets…"

"True," Rainbow Dash said. "I suppose you're safe. Well…let's just say sex makes you do crazy things."

Pinkie Pie thought about the time she'd spent with Fluttershy and had to agree with Rainbow Dash. "So…you lied to AJ so you could…have sex with her?"

"Pretty much," Rainbow Dash said.

"Dashie, that's terrible!" Pinkie Pie said, losing her temper and scolding her friend. "How could you do that to poor Applejack?"

"Hey, do you mind? Applejack already laid into me yesterday. I don't need it from you, too. I'm really hurting here."

"But Dashie, how could you be so insensitive?"

"I don't know, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash said with a groan. "I just…I think I have commitment issues!"

"What do you mean?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I'm not even sure," Rainbow Dash said, "but it's like I can't get close to anypony without wanting to fly away as fast as I can."

"Well, did you have sex with AJ?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I did," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, I don't know, Dashie, but maybe you moved things too fast and you were just scared. Maybe you should ask Applejack to start over and take things slow."

"That's…Pinkie Pie, that's a great idea!" Rainbow Dash said. "I should find her right now!" Rainbow Dash made to take off, but Pinkie Pie bit her tail and brought her down to Earth. Rainbow Dash remembered all the times Applejack did that and realized how sorely she missed it.

"Not so fast, Dashie," Pinkie Pie said. "You've gotta give it a few days. AJ's probably still super mad at you, so can you wait it out?"

"I guess…" Rainbow Dash said.

"Great!" Pinkie Pie said. "Now, no more moping. I've got some baking to do and I want you to join me."

"Okay," Rainbow Dash said. The two of them left the hill and began to head towards Ponyville. Out of the bushes popped the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, who had also followed Rainbow Dash out to the hill and were now extremely confused.

"Um…what's sex?" Applebloom asked. Scootaloo shook her head.

"I don't know either," Sweetie Belle said. "Every time I ask Rarity, she tells me it's none of my business and that I'll learn when I'm older, blah blah blah."

"But…RD was goin' out with mah sister, right?" Applebloom asked.

"It sure sounds like it," Scootaloo said.

"But that makes no sense!" Applebloom protested. "Grannie Smith always told me that only colts go out with fillies. Ah ain't never heard of two fillies gettin' together like that."

"Me neither," Sweetie Belle said. "How about you, Scootaloo?"

"Nope," Scootaloo said. "It seems really weird to me."

"Me too," Applebloom asked. "Ah wish there was somepony we could ask about it. Ah'm really curious and a little lost."

"I know!" Scootaloo said. "We should see Zecora!"

"That's a great idea, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said.

"Let's go right now!" Applebloom said, and the three crusaders made their way to the Everfree Forest.

Twilight was busying herself in the library when Rarity entered. Spike was upstairs cleaning Twilight's room for her, but the look on Rarity's face told Twilight that Spike probably shouldn't be called down at this point.

"Hello, dear," Rarity said. "Is your assistant around?"

"Well…yes, he is," Twilight said, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward.

"Good. Let him watch," Rarity said.

"What?" Twilight asked in shock.

"I'm just foaling, dear," Rarity said. "You wouldn't expect me to want Spike to see us, do you?"

"Well, I'm sure he'd appreciate it…" Twilight said. Rarity chuckled.

"I just figured I'd stop by while I was in the neighborhood and see if you were in the mood for a quick rendezvous, but I suppose that dragon of yours has gotten in the way. Are you sure you can't send him on a quick little five-minute errand?"

"Um…" Twilight said, thinking about her date with Big Mac and realizing in horror the mess she had made for herself. "Probably not. My room's a mess and I really need Spike's help to clean it up."

"All right. If you change your mind, I'll be waiting at the boutique. Sweetie Belle isn't with me today, and business is rather slow, so I'll be ready…"

"Sure, Rarity," Twilight said, mentally noting to herself not to go anywhere near the Carousel Boutique.

"Oh, and Twilight…" Rarity said. "There was something else I wanted to tell you. It will only take a minute…"

"Um…what is it?" Twilight asked, dreading the answer. Rarity looked extremely uncomfortable, and Twilight's imagination ran wild about what she was going to admit.

"I think I might be…" Rarity said. "Forget it. I'll see you later." Rarity left the library without another word.

_What was that about?_ Twilight wondered. She racked her brain trying to figure out what could be so important all of a sudden. She then realized that she wouldn't be able to keep her date with Big Mac very secret, and hoped to Celestia Rarity somehow didn't find out. It would be wrong for them to continue doing what they were doing if Twilight started dating Applejack's brother, but until that was actually established she saw no reason to cut things off with Rarity. But what did Rarity want to tell her?

The sound of Spike walking down the stairs broke Twilight out of her thoughts.

"Was somepony at the door?" he asked.

"Um…just a patron," Twilight said. "I checked out a book for him."

"Oh, okay," Spike said, not giving it another thought. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. If Spike found out what she and Rarity had been up to…it would be beyond bad, she decided. Groaning at all the secrets she was juggling in her head, Twilight decided to take her mind off it and return to her work cleaning the library.

Fluttershy had given it a lot of thought and had decided that before she tried to track down her mother in Cloudsdale, she needed to start some counseling. She wasn't quite sure how she had made that decision. It seemed it had come to her overnight, but when she had awoken in the morning she realized that it was the only option that made sense to her. She was of course scared of the prospect of revealing her deepest feelings to a relative stranger, but she thought the risk would be worth it if she could get some relief from her own thoughts.

She was sick of hiding, sick of being afraid of her own shadow, sick of the other ponies not taking her seriously. Most of all, she'd been sickened by her own warped sexual fantasies and the way she had let Pinkie Pie use her for reasons unknown. This was a crossroads in Fluttershy's life. This would be far more effective than Iron Will's assertiveness training. If it worked, this would change everything.

If only Fluttershy knew where to find a counselor…

The moon having just risen, Luna was surprised to find Celestia waiting for her atop the tower they used to change day to night and back to day again. Luna's heart fluttered with excitement at the look Celestia was giving her.

"Come with me," Celestia said, leading her sister to her bedroom and locking the door behind them.

"I've asked the guards for some privacy, so we won't be interrupted," Celestia said.

"Um…" Luna said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Oh," Celestia said. "Well, kissing you was so much fun the other day that I wanted to try something different tonight."

"And what would that be?" Luna asked.

"You'll see," Celestia said, "or more likely feel…" Luna had no idea where this was going, but one kiss from Celestia told her she would like it.

Celestia leaned into her body as she kissed Luna, and Luna willingly slipped her tongue into Celestia's mouth. The princesses moved to the bed and lay down next to each other, rubbing each other's heads and making out passionately. After this had gone on for a while, Celestia moved her hoof down to Luna's cutie mark and began rubbing it. Luna twitched with surprise but enjoyed the feeling of Celestia's hoof against her flank.

"Are you enjoying this?" Celestia asked in between kisses.

"Very much," Luna said.

"Then hang on…" Celestia said. She brought her hoof up Luna's thigh, and Luna felt herself tighten up as Celestia's hoof moved closer.

"Do you remember when I was trying to teach you how to masturbate?" Celestia asked.

"Yes," Luna said, her excitement mounting.

"Well, I thought it would be easier if I just showed you…"

_Oh, fuck yes!_ Luna thought as Celestia rubbed her hoof against Luna's folds. The ecstasy was nigh uncontainable as Celestia began to rub harder. All too soon, Luna felt her juices secrete from her body and rocked back and forth in orgasm. Once she had calmed down, Celestia freed her hoof from Luna's vagina and kissed the alicorns on the muzzle.

"See? There's nothing to it," Celestia said. "Care to try?"

"Huh?" Luna asked.

"Don't you know it's always polite to take turns?" Celestia asked. "It's your turn now."


	17. Keep You Wide Awake Page Turners

**Chapter 17: Keep-You-Wide-Awake Page-Turners**

Twilight had insisted that Spike wear a bowtie to the date. Spike thought it was tacky, but did as Twilight instructed, even though he felt beyond foalish for doing so. Twilight laughed at Spike's incredulous expression and beamed at him.

"You look adorable," Twilight said, patting her dragon affectionately on the head.

"Yeah, _that's_ what a girl looks for in a male dragon…" Spike said.

"Oh, don't be silly, you look fine," Twilight said. "Besides, she's already into you anyway, so you won't make a foal of yourself."

"Then why even bother with the stupid tie?" Spike asked.

"Because you want to look like a gentlecolt," Twilight said.

"I'm not a pony, Twilight…" Spike muttered.

"You know what I mean," Twilight said. "Now go out there and have fun tonight!"

"I'll try," Spike said. He went off to pick Ruby up, while Twilight sat in the library waiting for Big Mac. They had planned that he would be at the library at 7:00 to arrive at the inn by 7:30. Twilight looked at the clock on the wall and grew antsy as the minutes crawled by. He wasn't there at 6:55, or at 6:57, or even at 6:59. Finally, at 7:02, Twilight heard a knocking on the door and she quickly opened it.

"You're two minutes late…Rarity?" Twilight asked.

"Two minutes late for what, dear?" Rarity asked.

"Nothing," Twilight said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I saw Spike walking towards the town square looking all dapper and figured he'd be out of the library for a while. Then I realized we had a wonderful opportunity to spend some time together. You know I've thought about you horning me and―"

"Rarity, it's not a good time right now. You need to leave."

"Twilight, I'm appalled. I thought you wanted to spend time with me."

"I do, please, just not tonight. You really _really_ need to leave."

"Well, Twilight, I must say I'm more than a little offended. You know, I expected you to stop by the boutique today. I gave you more than a strong hint about my availability and you didn't take advantage. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're blowing me off!"

"Rarity," Twilight said, now positively flustered, "what do you think is going on between us?"

"You tell me, Miss Sparkle!" Rarity huffed. "I for one thought we had quite the special arrangement, but Celestia forbid we should have anything nice!"

"Rarity, what are you so upset about?" Twilight asked. "All I'm saying is that I'm busy right now."

"Well, then, who's running two minutes late?" Rarity asked.

"It's nopony, nothing," Twilight stammered. "Look, I'm going through a really hard time right now and I can't really talk about it right now, so―"

"Well, if something's bothering you, dear, you can talk to me about it. I'll do whatever I can to help you. Better that than have you avoiding me for no reason―" Suddenly there was another knock at the door. Twilight froze, hoping that if she ignored the door then whoever was on the other side would have the sense to leave. Twilight had no such luck.

"You there, Twilight?" spoke the crooning voice of Big Mac.

"Darling, what's Big Mac doing here?" Rarity asked.

"Rarity, that you?" Big Mac asked from outside the door. "Is Twilight in there? I'm supposed to be picking her up for a date." Rarity stared at Twilight in shock. Twilight smiled nervously and decided that quick action needed to be taken _now_.

"Yes, Big Mac, I'm here. I'll see you later, Rarity." Rather than trot past her, Twilight teleported outside of the library, catching Big Mac by surprise.

"Don't spook me like that!" Big Mac said with a laugh. "Why's Rarity over anyway if you knew ah was pickin' you up fer a date?"

"It's a long story," Twilight said. "Let's just get going, or the inn will be full by the time we get there." Though he was confused, Big Mac thought nothing of the odd situation Twilight had so narrowly escaped and walked with her, feeling quite excited in anticipation of what would hopefully be a fantastic night.

Inside the library, however, one pony's dreams had frozen over in ice. Here Rarity was, messing around with Twilight, and all of a sudden Twilight goes behind her back and asks out Applejack's brother? Hadn't she told Rarity she fantasized about him sometimes? Rarity had thought it to be in jest, but now the two of them were on their way to a romantic evening, leaving Rarity figuratively out in the cold.

The numbness in her heart cracked and boiled over when anger began to consume her. _How dare Twilight do this to me! Doesn't she understand how important she is to me?_ Rarity thought of the topic she had been so hesitant to discuss earlier that day, and she started to feel nauseous.

The fact of the matter was that Rarity was going to tell Twilight that she loved her. Yes, it had been a crazy thought. Yes, their arrangement had strictly been about physical pleasure. But Rarity knew that something had evolved when she started to think about Twilight each and every night, when the thought of the purple mare's touch was enough to set her horn alight with magic. It had become about more than a special friendship for Rarity, and just as her bravery had failed her, off Twilight had gone running with some stallion. It broke Rarity's heart to think Twilight thought so little of her.

As anger and sadness continued to consume Rarity, she toppled onto the couch in the library and started to bawl uncontrollably. A wave of depression washed over Rarity that pushed her into the couch until she couldn't muster the energy to rise again. Rarity was alarmed at how strong her reaction was, but suddenly she hadn't the energy to fight it. So there she lay, closing her eyes and crying silently, trying to think of anything but Twilight. It was difficult to do so in the library, but Rarity hadn't the care to think about that. All she could do was wallow in her own sorrow.

Spike arrived at the hotel and saw Ruby waiting for him under the awning. He greeted her by following Twilight's advice, which had told him to kneel and kiss her on the hand. She started to giggle and blush and then she caught a glance of the bowtie.

"Oh, you should have told me you were dressing up! I would have worn something decent," she said.

"Oh, this thing?" Spike asked. He tore it off and tossed it in the garbage.

"That was a nice bowtie!" Ruby said.

"Yeah, we've got about a million of them just like it. Twilight thinks they're cute. She doesn't seem to care that I despise them."

"Oh, Spike, you're such a dragon sometimes," Ruby said, "but in a good way."

"Thanks," Spike said. "Shall we get going?"

"We shall," Ruby said. Spike took her by the arm as they began to head towards the inn. Along the way, Ruby asked Spike questions about Ponyville like what its origins had been and who the most famous ponies were living there.

"Well, the founder of Ponyville was actually Applejack's own grandmother, Grannie Smith," Spike explained. "It turns out she wandered into the Everfree Forest and discovered this amazing jam that she was able to start selling to other ponies. Eventually Sweet Apple Acres became a staple of the area, and as more ponies migrated, they eventually formed the town."

"Oh. Well, Ponyville must not be that old, then," Ruby said.

"You'd be surprised," Spike said. "Grannie Smith's been around for a long time. As for famous ponies, well…my friends saved Equestria on three separate occasions. Aside from that, though, Rarity runs a pretty well-known boutique and Fluttershy was a model for a time. Outside of that, nopony really famous lives around these parts."

"That's so interesting," Ruby said. "You know some pretty famous ponies."

"Yeah. They have their own stained-glass windows displayed at the castle in Canterlot," Spike said.

"Whoa," Ruby said.

"You know," Spike said, "you're probably the only dragon I know who would think that's impressive."

"Yeah, I know dragons don't look too favorably on ponies," Ruby said. "They just think they're so superior, and I know it's totally wrong."

"Yeah, I'd like to see any dragon take on Princess Celestia and win, not to mention Fluttershy!"

"Fluttershy? Oh, right, the one who scolded my dad."

"You bet!" Spike said. "So, what's it like in the colony? I was only there for a little while, so I didn't get a chance to see everything."

"It's pretty much what you see is what you get," Ruby said without glamor. "We dragons live a pretty blunt lifestyle. Take what you can get, hoard as much as you can. The dragon with the biggest pile of gems wins. They get all the food and all the girls. It sickens me."

"I can only imagine. I had a stint where I was really greedy and I turned into a monster!"

"I think I heard about that. Didn't one of the ponies snap you out of it?"

"Yeah, she did…" Spike said, but he didn't want to think about Rarity in the middle of his date. The two arrived at the inn after talking more about Spike's greedy phase, and they were promptly seated at a booth inside. The two of them ordered glasses of water, as Spike was paying and he had little in the way of bits.

"You sure you don't want some juice?" Spike asked.

"Water's fine," Ruby said. "I don't want you breaking the bank."

"I appreciate that," Spike said, "but seriously, any time you want something, you just have to ask."

"That's very generous of you," Ruby said.

"Hey, it's what I do," Spike said smugly. Ruby giggled.

Spike quickly found that the nerves he had felt before the date had all but vanished. Talking to Ruby was as easy as talking to Twilight, and far easier than engaging in conversation with Rarity. And the more they talked, the more Spike was impressed by the ruby dragon. She was smart, but also a little naïve, which Spike thought was cute, especially considering that he was normally considered naïve by Twilight and the others. Ruby also had a wicked sense of humor, sharp as a dragon's tongue, which Spike found surprising. The two talked and ate for hours on end, losing track of time, but not so much that they would stay up all night. Spike let out a loud yawn at one point, and Ruby giggled, looked at the clock on one of the walls, and told Spike that it was probably time to get going.

"I'll walk you back to the hotel," Spike said.

"What a gentleman," Ruby said.

"Oh. Twilight says 'gentlecolt' all the time. It really gets on my nerves," Spike explained.

"Well, to each their own, I suppose," Ruby said. As Spike and Ruby walked to the hotel, it only seemed natural for them to hold each other's claws. Spike was again surprised at how exhilarating it was to hold Ruby's claw, as if there was something electric passing through the point of contact. Spike felt his heart sink a little as the hotel came in sight.

"You know, Spike, I had a really fun time tonight," Ruby said.

"Me too," Spike said. "We should do this again sometime."

"Sounds great!" Ruby said, trying not to betray her excitement. "Let me know, okay? I'll be around."

"You sure you've got enough money for the hotel?" Spike asked.

"Don't worry about that, Spike. I…sort of threatened the owner that my father would burn the place to the ground if he charged me."

"You what?" Spike asked, completely shocked.

"I was desperate, and it was the only way to stay here without you knowing about it!"

"Whatever you say, Ruby. I guess this is goodnight."

"Goodnight, Spike," Ruby said.

"Goodnight, Ruby," Spike replied. There was a brief moment in which the two dragons were unsure how to proceed. Spike's nerves got the better of him and he turned to walk back to the library. Despite the small pang of disappointment in this gesture, Ruby knew that the date had been a success and was beyond ecstatic for the next one.

Twilight and Big Mac had had little to say to each other on the way to the inn aside from comments about the nice night and inquiries about what each of them would be ordering at the inn. After the confusion about Rarity had been shrugged off by Twilight, Big Mac had turned into a wall. Twilight found it very difficult to muster up the nerve to chat him up, and it didn't help that he was naturally a stallion of few words in the first place. When they got seats at the inn across the way from Spike and Ruby, they had nothing to distract them from each other. Twilight mustered up all the bravery she could and cleared her throat.

"Um, Big Mac? Is everything all right?"

"Huh?" Big Mac asked, looking at Twilight with something in his eyes… Was it pleading? Twilight was taken aback by the look, and Big Mac snapped out of it and smiled at Twilight.

"Everythin's fine, Twi," Big Mac said.

"That's good to hear…" Twilight said, looking away.

"What about you, Twilight? What's the matter?" Big Mac asked. Twilight cracked under the stallion's obvious care for her.

"I guess I'm just really nervous," Twilight said. "I mean, I've thought about this happening for a long time, and I guess I always thought it would be just a fantasy. Now that it's actually happening, it feels…I don't know…"

"Surreal?" Big Mac suggested.

"Exactly," Twilight said. "It's totally surreal."

"Ah know what ya mean, Twi," Big Mac said. "Truth be told, ah've been thinkin' about you a lot ever since ya asked me out. Ah had no idea ya were interested in me like that before."

"Same here," Twilight said, still wondering if Big Mac had just admitted that he liked her.

"Ya know, Twi, ah don't git out much, on account o' the farm work and all. Applejack pretty much leads the farm, and she's mighty bossy when she's in a position o' power."

"That doesn't surprise me," Twilight said with a giggle.

"What about you, Twilight?" Big Mac said. "Don't ya run the local library?"

"I do," Twilight said.

"Well, yer doin' a good job. Applejack says it's mighty pretty and organized."

"It is. I should show you some time. Do you like to read?"

"When I have time, I sure do, eeyup," Big Mac said.

"That's great! What kind of books do you like?"

"Ah'm partial to the adventure-type stories," Big Mac said. "Ah used to read them to Applebloom when she was even littler than she is now. Daring Do always put her to sleep."

"Really? I thought those were keep-you-wide-awake page-turners."

"Not for little ol' Bloomy, nope. One chapter and she'd be conked out, guaranteed."

"Remind Fluttershy next time the Cutie Mark Crusaders sleep over," Twilight said. Big Mac gave a hearty chuckle.

"Ah sure will," he said.

Now that they were talking, Twilight was able to relax and have a much better time with Big Mac than she would have imagined. Big Mac told all kinds of stories about the farm and the various struggles they'd had to overcome, while Twilight told Big Mac all about Canterlot, especially the royal library.

"And they have this enormous room filled with nothing except spells on time travel!" Twilight said. "You should have seen some of the scrolls in there!"

"Eeyup, and I wouldn't have understood a thing," Big Mac said.

The two of them stayed at the inn till well after midnight, when the waiter politely asked if they could free up the table. Twilight and Big Mac finally left and returned to the library, where they proceeded to laugh and tell jokes at the door for a good half an hour. Twilight let out a loud yawn after a particularly funny joke about an Earth pony, a pegasus, and a unicorn walking into a bar.

"Ya look mighty tired, Twilight," Big Mac said. "I suppose it's best to let you get some shut-eye."

"If you insist," Twilight said. "Goodnight, Big Mac."

"Night, Twilight," Big Mac said. The two stared into each other's eyes for an eternal moment, and then Big Mac took the lead and kissed Twilight clumsily on the snout. Twilight snorted and shook her head.

"What was that?" she asked, laughing and blushing, though not as much as the burgundy stallion.

"Ah suppose…ah was tryin' to kiss ya," Big Mac said.

"And…?" Twilight asked.

"And I reckon I ain't never done it before…" Big Mac said.

"Oh!" Twilight said, realization dawning on her. "I haven't either," she lied; she thought it best to continue to leave her encounters with Rarity an enigma.

"Well, it was worth a shot. So long, Twilight," Big Mac said, about to trot away.

"Now hold on," Twilight said. "You don't get to pull a stunt like that and just trot away. You've got to follow through." Twilight was surprised about how flirtatious she had sounded. And she had thought she was an amateur!

"Yer right, o' course," Big Mac said. "Come here." With that, Big Mac kissed Twilight more confidently on the mouth this time. The two of them pressed in close, losing themselves in the delight of the kiss. Big Mac clumsily slipped his large tongue in Twilight's mouth and she generously accepted it, licking it with her own. Twilight felt her horn start to shimmer as she could feel Big Mac's strong shoulders rubbing up against her own. After what seemed like a fortnight, Big Mac finally broke away, his cheeks rosy red.

"Night, Twilight," he said again before trotting away. Twilight smiled and watched him leave, then opened the door to the library and trotted inside, feeling as if she were on air.

When she arrived inside, she saw Spike rocking back and forth on the couch looking quite perturbed. This brought her out of her elated mood right away.

"What happened, Spike?" Twilight asked. "Did your date go badly?"

"Huh?" Spike asked, looking around the room. "Oh, hi, Twilight. Didn't see you come in."

"But you were facing the…never mind. Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Twilight," Spike said in a wholly unconvincing manner.

"Spike, if the date went badly, you can just tell me. I won't hold it against you," Twilight said.

"Twilight, honestly, the date was great," Spike said.

"Then what's the problem?" Twilight asked.

"It's nothing. I'm tired. Goodnight, Twilight," Spike said, getting off of the couch and walking up to his basket in Twilight's bedroom. Twilight, too tired and too excited from her kiss to further pursue the subject, decided to follow suit.

Here is what happened between the time Spike returned to the library and the time Twilight returned. Spike walked in to see Rarity lying on the couch after apparently falling asleep. Spike would have left her alone if he hadn't seen her puffy eyes; obviously, she had been crying. Spike decided, in hindsight against his better judgment, to wake Rarity and see what was wrong. Maybe he could console her and win some brownie points, because, although he hated to admit it, he still had feelings for her.

What Spike didn't expect when he woke Rarity up was the anger that had been seething beneath the tears.

"Spike, how dare you interrupt a lady's beauty sleep!" Rarity said, pushing the dragon onto the floor.

"Whoa, relax," Spike said. "What's got you all wound up?"

"Spike, if I tried to explain it, it would be too complicated," Rarity said.

"Okay…" Spike said. "Is there anything I can do for you? Maybe I can get you some tea or escort you home."

"Actually, Spike, stay right here. I want to know where you were going with that magnificent bowtie of yours and why you're not wearing it now," Rarity said, hoping the dragon's story would distract her from her anguish.

"Well, I kind of had a date with Ruby tonight."

"Wasn't she that dragon you met while you were away?" Rarity asked.

"Yes," Spike said. "She apparently followed me to Ponyville and I decided to give it a try and go on a date. I actually had a really fun time."

"So the bowtie…?"

"I threw it out," Spike said. Rarity gasped.

"What? I didn't like it anyway, and Ruby was complaining about being underdressed."

"Spike, don't you realize? _I_ made that bowtie for you!"

"You did? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought Twilight would tell you when she gave it to you!" Rarity said. "Oh, chalk this up as another tick against me tonight."

"Rarity, really, what's bothering you?" Spike asked.

"I told you, it's complicated," she said.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm a little confused, too," Spike admitted.

"Really?" Rarity asked. "Do tell."

"Well, I really did have a fun time with Ruby tonight," Spike said. "The only problem is that, well…I still don't really like her as much as I…like, well, um…you." Rarity clucked with pity at Spike.

"Oh, dear, I'm ever so sorry," Rarity said, but suddenly her anger boiled up again and told her that this was an opportunity to exact revenge on the mare who had taken her heart from her. "Is there anything I could do to ease the pain?"

"Huh?" Spike asked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean is there anything I could do to make you feel better?"

"I don't think so," Spike said, "unless you can change how you feel about me…"

"Well, dear," Rarity said, a small voice telling her not to do this crowded out by her anger pushing her forward, "I might not be able to do _that_ for you, but I could offer you a few…favors."

"Favors?" Spike asked. "I don't follow."

"Oh, Spike, you really are too naïve for your own good," Rarity said with amusement. "By favors, I mean…" Rarity whispered a few suggestive ideas in Spike's ear, and the poor dragon's face froze in shock.

"But…why?" Spike asked.

"I have my reasons. Now, what would you like Rarity to do for you?"

"Rarity, I don't think this is such a good idea…" Spike said.

"Nonsense, it's a wonderful idea. I know how badly you want me. Why are you hesitating?"

"Well, things are just starting to go well with Ruby…" Spike said.

"Do you love her?" Rarity asked.

"What?"

"Do you love her?"

"Well," Spike said, "I guess not, but I don't see how―"

"Do you love me?" Rarity asked.

"Rarity, I…"

"Yes, Spike?"

"…I suppose, but―"

"Then what's the problem?" Rarity asked.

"But you…it's just…I think you should leave, Rarity," Spike said. Even though his mind was racing with wild ideas and excitement, Spike knew that Rarity wasn't in her right mind and that it would be best for her to leave the library before she did something she would regret. Rarity, though, had no inclinations to leave.

"Spike, let me put it this way. I'm only trying to be polite. We both know under normal circumstances you'd leap at this chance in a heartbeat, so I'm offering you two choices."

"Rarity―"

"We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way."

"Rarity, I'm still a―"

"I guess the hard way it is. Now get over here, you little wretch!" Rarity pinned Spike to the floor and started kissing him. Spike's mind suddenly went blank as raw excitement coursed through his veins. He could feel his member growing stiffer as Rarity started to nip at his neck. She moved her lips down his scaly belly and slowly started to lick Spike's member. Spike tried to rise off the floor, but Rarity used her magic to pin him down. As confused as Spike was, and as much as he wished it hadn't happened this way, part of him was excited that his wildest fantasy was coming true.

Rarity, though, while taking Spike's penis into her mouth, had only one thing in mind: revenge against Twilight Sparkle. The same force that had pushed her to fall in love with Twilight now drove Rarity to lunacy in her rage against her. So if Twilight wouldn't let Rarity defile her, Rarity would just have to defile her assistant instead.

Faster and faster Rarity sucked on Spike's penis until Spike could feel his thighs clench as pressure built in his loins. Rarity stopped sucking and mounted the dragon, using her magic to accelerate her frequency as she thrust into him. Spike had never felt anything so mind-numbingly wonderful, and when he finally came, excitement bubbled out of him in the form of a flame that nearly singed Rarity's mane.

The two of them then lay on the floor, exhausted and very confused. Spike was worried that he had just been taken against his will, even though he had enjoyed it so much. Rarity, on the other hand, felt horror rise within her as her anger finally started to settle. What had compelled her to do…that to Spike? Thoroughly flustered, Rarity got up and left the library without a word. Spike, feeling quite distraught and confused, hadn't the energy to stop her, so he got off the floor and started to rock back and forth on the couch, questioning everything he thought he had known about his sexuality and his feelings for Rarity.

"Have you heard the rumors?" asked one guard to another.

"Yeah. The princesses are spending an awful lot of time in closed chambers lately."

"You don't think they're…?"

"Really, Donnie, what's wrong with you? Your mind always jumps to the dirtiest places."

"Hey, I can dream, can't I?" Donnie asked.

"Dear Celestia, you're a pervert!" the other guard said. "What makes you think incest is occurring within these royal halls?"

"Sometimes I see the two of them walk past each other and it's like there's a…spark between them, one much stronger than that of two sisters."

"Donnie, you're a pegasus, not a unicorn. Lay off with the freakin' spark shit."

"You know, Lance, you ought to be more open-minded," Donnie said. "Maybe if you understood them a little better, they'd let you have a three-way with them."

"What is your deal?" Lance asked.

"I don't have a deal. You're the one with a chip on your shoulder," Donnie said.

"Shush, here come the princesses now!" Lance said. The two stood at attention as the sisters walked past. Lance looked at them carefully and noticed that they were walking a little closer together than usual… _Oh God, Lance, don't start thinking like Donnie now_, he told himself.

"What'd I tell you?" Donnie asked as soon as the princesses were out of earshot.

"That doesn't prove anything," Lance said. "The only thing it proves is that you're a pervert."

"Whatever. But if it ends up being true, remember that I called it," Donnie said.

"Sure, Donnie," Lance said, "sure."


	18. Stunned at the Possibility

**Chapter 18: Stunned at the Possibility**

Applejack was now desperate to find Rainbow Dash to talk to her. She didn't want it to wait until they met at the park, because she didn't want the other ponies to know they had been arguing. All through Ponyville she ran, bumping into other ponies because she had her eyes trained on the skies. It surprised her, then, when she suddenly crashed into somepony and it turned out to be Rainbow Dash.

"Sorry…Rainbow Dash! Thank Celestia ah found ya! Ah really need to talk to ya."

"Save it, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said. "Don't want to be seen talking to a cunt, would you?"

"Actually, it's that ah want to talk about. Rainbow Dash, I'm really sorry―"

"Sorry? _Sorry_? You don't just get to say those things and then say you're sorry! They really hurt, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said, trying not to shed a tear but failing to keep one in. Applejack sighed and shook her head.

"Look, RD, what ya did to me was terrible, but―"

"You didn't even let me explain myself!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "You just jumped to conclusions instead of hearing me out."

"Well, it seemed pretty obvious where it was goin'…" Applejack said lamely.

"Maybe to you, farm mare, but all you had to do was hear me out. Well, it's too late now." Rainbow Dash spread her wings as if she was ready to take off.

"Wait, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said. "Okay, ah overreacted and ah'm sorry! Look, ah know you wasn't just usin' me fer sex, and ah know yer confused."

"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And what drew you to _that_ conclusion?"

"Ah reckon mah own feelings did that," Applejack said. "Not too long ago, ah wasn't sure if I were a filly fooler, so ah can't really blame ya fer bein' confused. But…why did ya say ya love me only to take it back?"

"You already said it. I'm really confused. I think maybe we should slow things down and really think about what we're doing here."

"Oh, great, ah don't believe it…" Applejack said.

"Believe what?" Rainbow Dash asked, throwing her hooves up into the air.

"Yer breakin' up with me!" Applejack shouted.

"Do you hear yourself?" Rainbow Dash asked, putting her head in her hooves and shaking her head. "You're jumping to conclusions all over again!"

"Am not," Applejack said. "That's the way it always goes. 'Sorry, but we really need to see other ponies.' 'It ain't you, it's me.' 'There'll be other fish in the sea.' Ah know the drill."

"What did you, read one of Twilight's sappy romance novels?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's not what this is at all. I'm just saying if you're that upset over the sex, then the sex can wait. We can still go on dates, cuddle, whatever girly thing you like to do."

"RD, we both know I ain't the definition of girly."

"Yeah, but you're no tomboy like me."

"And how do ya reckon?"

"Great, we're going off track," Rainbow Dash said. "The point is we can still date. Just take all the dirty stuff out of it."

"Come now, RD, it wasn't all that bad," Applejack said. "Ah got really confused about the sex, but that don't mean it wasn't still great."

"Well, you have a point there," Rainbow Dash said, her mind involuntarily jumping to an image of her rutting Applejack silly. _What is wrong with me?_ she asked herself.

"Well, so do you, RD," Applejack said. "Perhaps it is best fer us to cool it. It might clear things up fer us."

"I hope so," Rainbow Dash said. "So…marefriends?"

"Marefriends," Applejack said, and the two of them hugged and pecked each other on the lips, each of them feeling relieved.

At that point, as much as they wanted to spend more time together, Applejack regretfully admitted she had things to do, but that they would see each other at the park later that day. So Rainbow Dash flew off and left Applejack to her errands. She did a few victory loops in the sky to release the energy that had fed into her system. She had turned something horrible completely around overnight, somehow, and the results made her elated. But once that elation began to wear off, something more sinister and foreboding took its place.

_You still don't love her_, a horrible voice told Rainbow Dash in her own head.

_What the hell are you?_ Rainbow Dash asked the voice.

_I'm you, just a different side of you_, the voice replied.

_Well, what do you mean I don't love her?_ Rainbow Dash asked.

_I mean exactly what you think I mean. It's not that complicated._

_So? We made up just now. Everything's okay again._

_ Maybe for now, but what happens when you realize that slowing down the sex will only make you two grow apart?_

_ That's a terrible thing to say!_

_ But you know it's true. How can intimacy be deepened when you cut it off._

_ There's more to intimacy than just sex, you know._

_ Right, of course. But what about your physical needs, Rainbow Dash? Who's going to satisfy them for you?_

_ Dear Celestia, you're a pig. But I guess I could always pleasure myself…_

_ Can you really, when you once had somepony else doing it for you? You know you can't possibly match the elation another pony can give you._

_ Why can't you just leave me alone?_ Rainbow Dash asked the voice.

_Didn't I tell you? I am you. How can you leave yourself alone?_ It was then that Rainbow Dash saw Pinkie Pie bouncing down the street. She'd been running into Pinkie Pie a lot lately, but now was definitely an inopportune time to speak to her. Unfortunately, Pinkie Pie looked up and saw Rainbow Dash, so the pegasus had no choice but to say hi to her. She swooped down to the ground and, surprisingly, Pinkie Pie gave her a hug.

"I just finished talking to Applejack," Pinkie Pie said. "I didn't know you two were fighting. Is everything okay?"

"We worked it out," Rainbow Dash said. "Didn't Applejack tell you?"

"Oh, I guess she did. I must have forgotten!" Pinkie Pie laughed, and in her laugh she snorted a little. Rainbow Dash found it almost unbearably adorable. _Snap out of it!_ she told herself.

"Why did Applejack even tell you we were fighting?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't know," Pinkie Pie said. "Why would you two be fighting in the first place?"

"It's complicated," Rainbow Dash said, which meant that she didn't feel like mustering up the energy to answer.

"Oh, I get it," Pinkie Pie said. "Too deep for bouncy, happy Pinkie Pie to understand. Yep, don't tell her anything, because she's not mature enough to handle it."

"Where is _that_ coming from?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Applejack wouldn't explain what you were fighting about either. It's almost like you don't think I'd understand."

"I never said that," Rainbow Dash said. "To be honest, I just didn't feel like talking about it. I don't think you're immature, Pinkie Pie. Random, yes, but not immature. Would a mature pony know better than to try to prank Fluttershy? You taught me that you have to take other ponies' feelings into consideration, and it really helped me say no to Gilda when she was bullying you."

"Oh," Pinkie Pie said sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Guess I just kind of assumed…"

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, Dashie, I've gotta run, but it was nice bumping into you. See you later!" Pinkie Pie bounced away exuberantly, doing an about-face from her brief moment of melancholy. Rainbow Dash shook her head and smiled before taking back to the skies.

"Fluttershy?" asked a brown unicorn wearing spectacles and levitating a clipboard and quill in front of him. His cutie mark was of an opened book, which signified that he was always expanding on his knowledge.

"Um…hi," Fluttershy whispered so inaudibly that the unicorn didn't hear her.

"Fluttershy?" he asked again. Fluttershy got up from her seat in the waiting room and trotted hesitantly over to the unicorn.

"Are you Fluttershy?" he asked. Fluttershy nodded slightly.

"I see," said the unicorn. "Hello, Fluttershy, my name is Doctor Shrink. It's a pleasure to meet you." Doctor Shrink offered his hoof. Fluttershy looked at it and shook it quickly before withdrawing her hoof timidly.

"Please come in," Doctor Shrink said, offering Fluttershy access to his office. Fluttershy hesitantly entered the office and took a seat on the couch. Doctor Shrink followed her inside, slowly shut the door, and sat in what appeared to be a comfortable armchair. Fluttershy liked the soothing quality of his voice as he spoke with her.

"Now, since this is your first time here, Fluttershy, I would like to get to know you. Maybe we can start with where you grew up. It might seem like I'm grilling you and that this is more of an interview than an actual session, but I promise it will be the only time it feels that way. Is that all right with you?" Fluttershy shied away, looking confused.

"Is something wrong, Fluttershy?" the doctor asked. Fluttershy nodded.

"Aren't…" she said, "aren't you going to make me lie down?"

"Only if you want to, Fluttershy," Doctor Shrink said.

"I think I'd feel better if I lied down," Fluttershy said.

"Suit yourself," said the doctor. Fluttershy lowered her back onto the couch and sighed contently. This felt a lot more comfortable and a lot like she imagined a therapy session would feel like.

"Now," said Doctor Shrink, scribbling something on the parchment he had on his clipboard, "where are you from?"

"Cloudsdale," Fluttershy said. Doctor Shrink's voice was slowly getting her to relax, so she was able to speak up a little louder, but Doctor Shrink still had to strain his ears to hear her.

"Ah, I see. Mighty strong population of pegasi in Cloudsdale, isn't there?"

"Well, they're the only ones who can even stand on clouds without magic," Fluttershy said.

"Naturally," said the doctor. "So what was it like growing up in your household? Did you live with your parents or some other relatives?"

"I lived with my mother and father," Fluttershy said, her squirming stomach muting her voice. Doctor Shrink wrote some more notes.

"Would you care to tell me more about them?" he asked.

"I'd rather not right now, if that's okay with you," Fluttershy said.

"Of course it's all right with me. This is your session, Fluttershy, not mine," the doctor said. Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, which Doctor Shrink noted.

"So, is there anything else about Cloudsdale you want to tell me about? How about the flight school? I understand that most young pegasi living there attend."

"I went, but I wasn't a very good flyer," Fluttershy said, feeling more comfortable with this line of questioning ever since she had helped the other pegasi of Ponyville raise water to Cloudsdale. Her flying abilities, while still meager, were not the source of embarrassment they once were.

"I see. I imagine that must have been a source of amusement for the other pegasi. Foals can be cruel at such a young age. I know the pupils of the unicorn school that I attended were pretty hard on those who struggled with learning magic."

"Well…the other pegasi did make fun of me," Fluttershy said. "They used to chant 'Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly,' over and over again…"

"Did they? That's terrible," Doctor Shrink said. "I'm sorry they did that to you."

"Oh, it wasn't really anything. They were just being honest."

"Still, it was wrong of them to taunt you like that. You didn't deserve to be treated like that."

"Really, it's okay," Fluttershy said. "It's not a big deal now." Doctor Shrink didn't believe her, but he wrote down some notes and decided to move on.

"Did you have any friends at flight school," Doctor Shrink asked, "or did they all treat you poorly?"

"I had one friend. I still do, actually," Fluttershy explained. "Her name is Rainbow Dash."

"I think I've heard of her," Doctor Shrink said. "Doesn't she head the weather patrol here in Ponyville?"

"She does," Fluttershy said, "although her dream is to be a member of the Wonderbolts."

"That's a tall order," Doctor Shrink said. "Only the best of the best flyers are even considered for a slot on the team.

"I know," Fluttershy said, "but Rainbow Dash could do it. She won the Junior Flyer's competition a year ago."

"Did she?" the doctor asked. "That is impressive. So I take it you're close friends."

"Absolutely," Fluttershy said. "She's like a sister to me."

"That's great to hear," Doctor Shrink said. "Was there anyone else close to you?"

"Not really, no…" Fluttershy said. Doctor Shrink nodded and wrote down a few more notes.

"Well, how about now?" he asked. "What do you do now?"

"I'm an animal caretaker. It's wonderful, actually. I remember the day I got my cutie mark. I had fallen to the ground only to be saved by butterflies. That was the first time I had ever explored below the cloud line, and I met so many wonderful creatures that I burst into song. Now I take care of creatures every day, and I cannot think of a more fulfilling career."

"That's very good," the doctor said, writing down some more notes. This continued in this manner, with Doctor Shrink asking questions of Fluttershy's background and Fluttershy answering those questions. What they revealed was that Fluttershy was very timid unless her friends were in danger and that when this occurred she somehow found a reserve of courage that was totally alien from her own personality. Doctor Shrink also reasoned that if he were to get anywhere with helping Fluttershy, he'd have to probe her about her parents, but that could wait till next time.

"Thank you very much for your time, Fluttershy. If you have it, I would appreciate a payment of one hundred bits for the session, but if you don't have it on you at this moment, we can wait till next session for you to pay it."

"Oh, sir, I have it now," Fluttershy said, and out of her saddle pack she gave the doctor the hundred bits.

"Thank you, Fluttershy," Doctor Shrink said. "You may go."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had braved the Everfree Forest and had followed Applebloom to Zecora's hut. It was about time they straightened out what was going on between Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and apparently now, Pinkie Pie. Applebloom knocked politely on the door, and the zebra answered it.

"Applebloom, what a pleasant surprise! And are these your friends before my eyes?"

"Yep," Applebloom said. "You remember Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, don't ya? They come hear your story about Night Mare Moon every Nightmare Night."

"Ah yes, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Now, what can I do for you?"

"We just have a few questions we thought you could answer for us," Applebloom said.

"For questions, this far you chose to roam? Well, come in. Make yourselves at home." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were understandably uncomfortable with Zecora's exotic décor, but they filed into the hut after Applebloom and sat near her on the floor. Zecora sat across from them and smiled, which only made Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo more nervous.

"Relax, you two," Applebloom said. "Zecora's harmless."

"Ah, Applebloom speaks the truth," Zecora said. "But a little fear is normal for youth."

"We're not just afraid," Scootaloo said with earnest. "We're also confused and nervous about our questions."

"These questions plague you like a disease. Tell me, what questions are these?"

"Well…" Sweetie Belle said after gulping nervously, "we…kind of sort of overheard Applejack and Rainbow Dash saying they were going out and we wanted to know if two fillies could even do such a thing. Plus we heard them talking about sex and we want to know what that is." Sweetie Belle blushed a bright shade of red. Zecora looked dumbfounded but then chuckled.

"My little ponies, never fear," she said. "To answer your questions, Zecora is here. Well, only the first question I'll commit to tongue. To learn about sex, you are far too young." The three fillies groaned in disappointment.

"But why can't we learn about sex?" Scootaloo asked. "We're big ponies."

"Ponies, please forgive my rhyme, but you will learn all some other time. Now, about two dating mares, of this I will speak with utmost care. When two mares date, to some it must seem blasphemous and unjust. But in Zecora's eye, I think it is all right. Who are we to judge with such great might? Some ponies will not have it that way, they feel it threatens them, or so they say. But love is love, and who are we to challenge its righteous decree?"

"But what kind of pony wouldn't be okay with love?" Applebloom asked.

"What ponies still fear my very name? The ones that fear this love are the same. It is ignorance of the mind that makes them hateful and blind."

"Gee, that's terrible," Applebloom said. "But why would mah big sis hide it from me? Ah mean, it _is_ a little confusin', but ah don't really think it's that bad now that ah've heard it."

"Let your naïveté be tamed. Your sister Applejack is ashamed. Alas, I wish it weren't so, but that's the way these politics go. Were it up to me, we'd end all hate and learn to love and tolerate."

"That's really nice of you, Zecora," Scootaloo said, "but I still think it's a little weird. I mean, if two mares love each other, they can't have any babies…right? I've never seen two mares raise a baby before."

"Scootaloo, you have a knack for bringing the other question back. True, mares cannot copulate, but they can raise foals as well as any pony straight."

"What does copulate mean?" Scootaloo whispered to Sweetie Belle.

"What do I look like, a dictionary?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Fillies, please calm down. I don't want you riled up when you return to town."

"You're makin' us leave already?" Applebloom asked.

"To this, I must heave a sigh. That's not what I meant to imply."

"Oh, good," Applebloom said.

"However, should your questions still persist, I regrettably must resist. I've answered you as well as I can, now, would you care for some soup from my native clan?" Zecora pointed to a cauldron where a frothy liquid was boiling away. The goop was a pale green color and looked to be as thick as mud.

"Ah think we'll pass," Applebloom said. "Thanks anyway."

"Oh, you're welcome, I must tell," Zecora said. "I guess it's time to say farewell."

"Goodbye, Zecora. And thank you!" Sweetie Belle said as the Cutie Mark Crusaders left the hut. Zecora chuckled at the precociousness and curiosity of fillies before returning to her soup.

"Spike, may I please have another quill?" Twilight asked, as she was busy working on an assignment.

"Huh?" Spike asked, distracted.

"A quill, Spike," Twilight huffed. Spike groaned, rose out of his seat, and thrust the quill he procured at Twilight. Twilight sighed and lifted the quill with her magic.

"Couldn't you have gotten that yourself?" Spike asked.

"That's not the point, Spike," Twilight said. "What I want to know is why you've been so grouchy today. Something must have happened last night, because yesterday afternoon you were really excited about your date and you told me it meant well. Now, you must obviously be lying, so―"

"Twilight, relax, will ya? I think I'm just tired."

"Are you sure that's all it is, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Spike said, though he had stammered a bit and his eyes had shifted as he had said it.

"You don't look very sure," Twilight said with curiosity and a deep sense of foreboding haunting her mind. "You look like you didn't sleep at all last night."

"Well…I didn't," Spike finally admitted.

"What kept you up then?" Twilight asked. "Was it the excitement of the date, or did it not go well."

"I've told you already, the date went fine," Spike said.

"Then what's the problem?" Twilight asked.

"I…I don't want to talk about it," Spike said. Twilight groaned in frustration.

"Look, Spike, I can't have my most important assistant slacking on the job and behaving so obstinately. You need to tell me what's going on right now, or I'm going to assume the worst."

"How much worse do you think it can get, Twilight?" Spike asked, though he instantly regretted his tone.

"What does that mean?" Twilight asked. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"No, of course not," Spike said, trying to correct his mistake. "I didn't mean it."

"Didn't mean what?" Twilight asked.

"That things were bad. Things are pretty good here, I suppose…"

"Again, you don't sound convinced," Twilight said sternly.

"Well, you're just gonna have to believe it anyway. I'm fine!" A small flare escaped from Spike's nostrils, and he instantly covered his nose out of fear.

"You're really getting worked up, aren't you?" Twilight asked, her anger subsiding to a more sympathetic emotion. "Hold still," Twilight said, and she approached Spike cautiously and placed her ear on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. As she expected, Spike's heart was rocketing. Something had _definitely_ gone wrong last night, but for the life of her, Twilight couldn't find out what it was.

"Look, Spike, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I'm just worried about you and I want to know what's going on in your life, and it frustrates me to no end when you refuse to tell me."

"Friends can still have their own privacy, you know," Spike said.

"I suppose that's true," Twilight admitted, "unless that privacy gets in the way of the friendship. You've been quite ornery today, and it's difficult to deal with you when you're like that, so I really wish you would stop." Twilight thought she could see a shimmer in Spike's eye, but when she blinked it was gone. It might have been the angle of the sun on the window, but she thought she had heard a sniffle when she had blinked. Shrugging it off, Twilight listened to her friend.

"I'll try to feel better, Twilight, but there are no guarantees. I guess I'm just kind of in a funk." Twilight gave up trying to investigate any further, so she conceded to Spike and decided to return to her studies.

"So, my dear sister Luna," Celestia said, cuddling with her sister in her bed and kissing her on the cheek, "what do you think about where this is all going?"

"Oh, I think many things, dear sister," Luna said, "but I'm not about to tell you. I'm trying to keep my decency, after all!"

"Nonsense, Luna. We're sisters. We tell each other everything."

"Unless one of us is banished on the moon," Luna said coldly.

"Luna," Celestia said.

"I'm sorry," Luna said. "I keep promising that I'll stop bringing it up, but I always do."

"Never mind that now, dear. We have more important things to discuss."

"Like what?" Luna asked.

"Like sex, of course," Celestia said. "Would you be interested?"

"That depends," Luna said, "on the kind of sex. Is it strictly vaginal, or are there kinkier methods you wished to try?"

"I suppose there are…other possibilities," Celestia said, "but let me just go on a limb here and say anal stimulation is not appealing to me. That part of the body is a bit…well, unsanitary, and should probably not be rubbed against. As far as oral stimulation is concerned, I'm all for it. I can taste your essence on your lips, it tastes like the night itself, and it leaves me pleading for more."

"Ooh," Luna crooned, shuddering. Celestia certainly had a way with seduction.

"But that leaves just one other option, and I say it's the kinkiest of all. It's also the most dangerous, given its vast potential for magic."

"Horns…?" Luna asked, stunned at the possibility.

"Yes, dear, horns," Luna said. "Don't sound so surprised, sister. Its close proximity in shape to the male penis lends itself to its own conclusion. Are you interested in my horn?"

"Hmm…" Luna thought, and then she leaned over and gave Celestia's horn a small lick. Celestia shuddered with delight and wished Luna would do it again, but she settled back onto her pillow.

"I think it might be interesting," Luna said. "It certainly seems to have pleased you." This made the great Princess Celestia blushed, and Luna smiled devilishly.

"Then I suppose we'll have to consider it in the near future," Celestia said. "For now, a kiss will do." Luna had to agree as the two of them began to make out. Taking it slow was the best way to savor all of the pleasure.


	19. Blowing a Job Interview

**Chapter 19: Blowing a Job Interview**

The six ponies were once again at the park, only things were suddenly a lot more awkward. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still relieved about the apology, although being together now felt more uncomfortable than it should have been. Fluttershy was confused about her relationship with Pinkie Pie, and seeing the psychologist had only made things more difficult to understand for some reason. Rarity was just trying to stay as far away from Twilight as possible and was relieved that Spike had decided not to tag along, or was she worried that the dragon was becoming a recluse? Anyway, somepony eventually noticed all of the awkward tension and decided to say something.

"Hey," Pinkie Pie said, "what gives?" The other ponies stared at her out of bewilderment. Pinkie Pie looked around as if she had said something dirty.

"What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I mean everypony's acting weirder than usual, and if _I_ think everypony's acting weird, then things must be _really weird_. Don't you agree, Twilight?"

"Well, I guess..." Twilight said, not sure what all the discomfort was about, as she was feeling none of it. Well, maybe a little bit with Applejack, but having just kissed her brother a night ago she thought she understood.

"How are we acting weird?" Rainbow Dash asked. Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and started spouting some unusually sharp insights.

"Well...you and Applejack look like you're trying to get along but you really don't know how, Fluttershy's been looking at me really strangely, and Rarity looks like she doesn't want to be anywhere near Twilight. That about sums it up for me." Fluttershy recoiled, Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked skeptically at each other, and Rarity started shaking with panic. Twilight and Rainbow Dash noticed these things and scratched their heads with their hooves.

At this point, Angel nudged Fluttershy with his foot and pointed at Pinkie Pie, demanding that Fluttershy smooth things over with the pink mare.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, I'm ever so sorry," Fluttershy said. "I didn't mean to make things awkward for you, it's just...well, you know."

"Know what? Oh, right..." Pinkie Pie said.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash said. "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing!" Pinkie Pie said all too emphatically. Fluttershy cowered behind her mane, but Rainbow Dash shook her head and sighed, indicating that she hadn't the energy to pursue any further questions.

"And Pinkie Pie," Applejack said, "you know ah talked to ya about what was up, but ah promise ya that Rainbow and ah are keener on each other than peaches and cream, so don't you worry yer little head about us."

"Um...what she said," Rainbow Dash said.

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie said. "And what about _you_, Rarity?" Rarity darted her eyes as if looking for a way out, and she could have sworn she was starting to sweat, or was it just the hot sun?

"I...there's nothing wrong with me!" Rarity said. "It's just an ill reaction to the heat, is all." Rarity smiled, hoping she had convinced somepony to believe the lie. Pinkie Pie bought it.

"I guess it _is_ pretty hot out here," she said.

_In more ways than one_, thought Rarity.

"So, now that that's been cleared up, who wants to have a pet race?" Pinkie Pie asked. Nopony looked eager to participate, so Pinkie Pie sighed and walked over to Fluttershy to speak to her privately. Rainbow Dash flew off with Applejack and Winona, leaving Rarity feeling very nervous around Twilight.

"I probably shouldn't have said anything," Pinkie Pie said to Fluttershy. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said. "Don't worry about it."

"But I want to know what's upsetting you," Pinkie Pie said. I feel bad for bringing it up in the first place."

"You don't have to feel bad," Fluttershy said, "that is, if you don't want to, I mean, not that I would ever think you'd _want_ to feel bad, it's just...oh..."

"Fluttershy, remember you can talk to me. Your secrets are safe with me, I pinkie promise!"

"Oh, all right," Fluttershy said. "It's just that I started seeing a doctor about my problems, not that you were a problem, it's just that our relationship brought up some problematic issues for me, not that the relationship was bad, it's just..." Fluttershy squealed in frustration and stomped her hooves.

"Fluttershy, relax, will ya?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You're talking to a friend, not blowing a job interview!"

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "I just want to feel something other than fear for my father and sadness for my mother and I want to become more assertive and I want sex to be a fun thing not something that brings up all these painful memories, that's all."

"That's a bit of a tall order," Pinkie Pie said with a snort. "I hope you found a really good doctor."

"Oh, so you think I'm crazy?" Fluttershy asked, starting to feel hurt. Pinkie Pie emphatically shook her head.

"No no no no no, of course not!" she said. "But everypony has some issues they need to resolve, and some ponies have more issues than others. I mean, look at me! I grew up on a rock farm with a really sad family. It took a lot of work to become the Pinkie Pie I am today. So stick with it, and you'll find a stronger and happier Fluttershy on the other side."

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie. That means a lot."

"You're welcome, Fluttershy," Pinkie Pie said.

As this conversation occurred, Rainbow Dash was talking to Applejack.

"So, what's the deal with us? I thought we were cool," Rainbow Dash said.

"We are cool, but what exactly does cool mean?" Applejack asked.

"You said it. Marefriends. I thought that was pretty clear," Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah wish it were," Applejack said, "but ah ain't never been in no relationship before, and it's so gosh-darned confusin' and all. Ah reckon ah love ya, but what does that even mean? And why did ah get so upset when we fought? Ah mean, ah know why, but it makes no _sense_. Ah've known ya forever, and we've always gotten into fights, but ah've never felt so strongly about ya before that ah reacted so much, so ah don't know why ah'm makin' such a stink now."

"Easy, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said. "You'll give yourself a headache."

"Ah feel like ah've been in a headache fer weeks," Applejack said. "And ah can't even talk to mah folks about it on account of how they feel about mares datin' other mares." Rainbow Dash suddenly had a brilliant thought that she was eager to share.

"What if you pretended you were dating a stallion. Tell your family you're dating, um...Caramel or something, and tell them all the problems you've been having with him, and see if they'll help you out."

"That's a plum awful idea, RD, sorry to say. Ah can't lie to mah parents like that. Ah'm the Element of Honesty, fer Celestia's sake! And even if ah could tell 'em, they'd wonder why he never bothered to show up to the farm. Things would start looking mighty suspicious mighty quick, ya hear?"

"I hear," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Sorry. Thought I had a good idea for a second there."

"It's okay, RD, ya can't be smart like Twilight all the time."

"Who said I wanted to be an egghead like Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack scolded. "How dare ya-?"

"I'm just joking around, AJ. Relax," Rainbow Dash said.

"Right, of course," Applejack said. Applejack and Rainbow Dash glanced briefly at Twilight, who was having a tough time talking to Rarity.

"Rarity, you look about ready to jump out of your horseshoes. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Twilight asked of her unicorn friend.

"Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be sure?" Rarity asked, her countenance betraying all sorts of uncertainty.

"Rarity, body language accounts for ninety-three percent of all communication," Twilight said, "and right now, that remaining seven percent doesn't have a lot of support."

"Okay, you got me," Rarity said. "I am feeling awfully stressed out."

"Well, what's bothering you?" Twilight asked. "And why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"It's just so embarrassing," Rarity said. "I have a major order coming up on Tuesday, and I haven't drawn a single sketch for the design yet. I seem to have hit a block in my creativity. It's like my thoughts are going nowhere, like my neurons are firing but nothing is connecting. Do you know the feeling?"

"Only when I'm panicking," Twilight said.

"Well, I'm panicking now, Twilight! I'm panicking now!" Rarity started sobbing uncontrollably, leaving Twilight in the very awkward position of trying to console her. She gave Rarity an unsure hug, hoping her friend would get out of this slump she seemed to have find herself in.

"Oh, I can't stay here!" Rarity cried. "I need to go to work." Rarity ran off without another word, sobbing all the way and nearly forgetting her cat Opal. Twilight watched Rarity's form in shock as Rarity ran off into the horizon. She looked back at the other four ponies, who had also seen Rarity leave without warning, and they looked even more confused than she did.

"What in blazes was that about?" Applejack asked.

"Rarity said she needed to work on an order," Twilight said, "but something doesn't feel right... Do you think I should try to help her?"

"Do what ya think is best," Applejack said.

"I'd go and help her," Rainbow Dash said. "She looked really upset."

"You should go now, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "The sooner the better."

"Yeah, good luck, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie chimed in. The vote was unanimous now.

"All right, I'll head out for the boutique," Twilight said running off in the same direction as Rarity had run.

Rarity ignored the other staring ponies as she galloped through Ponyville proper. When she arrived at her boutique, she went straight to her bedroom and collapsed upon the bed, crying in her pillow and feeling horribly guilty, both for what she had done to Spike and lying to Twilight about it.

_But what more could I have done?_ she asked herself. _I can't possibly tell Twilight about the heinous crime I committed and why I did it. I would lose her friendship forever. Oh no, what if Spike blackmails me and threatens to tell Twilight? No, he wouldn't do that, he's not that cruel. But what I did to him was very cruel, so he just might do it out of spite. No, Rarity, there's no time for what-ifs. You need to keep it together and stop worrying so much!_

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Rarity's heartbeat jumped with the knocks. Even before she heard her friend's voice coming up the stairway through the door, she knew it was Twilight coming to check in on her. Rarity tried to make it look like she was working, but Twilight had apparently let herself in, because before she could get up Twilight opened the bedroom door with magic.

"Excuse me!" Rarity shouted. "A lady never trots in on somepony without being invited in first!"

"I'm really sorry, Rarity. I just wanted to see if you needed any help with your order. Although on second thought, I don't see anything here resembling your work..." This was true; the bedroom was all but immaculate.

"Oh, Twilight, didn't I tell you? I haven't even begun my work yet!" Rarity said with gusto.

"You did say that," Twilight said, "but I would think you'd at least be pacing the room instead of lying in your bed," Twilight said. "Are you sure that's the issue? There isn't anything else bothering you, is there?"

"No, it's this dreaded order," Rarity said. "It's really eating me alive. And I don't know about you, Twilight, but my creativity is dampened the more ponies are in a room with me, so you'd be most helpful away from the boutique. I will have to ask you to leave."

"That's a little rude, don't you think?" Twilight asked. "I came here to help and you're slamming the door in my face."

"Well, since you opened it without my permission, I can close it without yours," Rarity said, and she used her magic to slam the bedroom door shut. Twilight, knowing she was no longer welcome at the boutique, knew it was time to leave.

"What's the matter, Spike?" Ruby asked. The two of them were strolling through Ponyville for their second date, but when Spike had picked Ruby up, she could already tell there was something wrong.

"Great, you too?" Spike asked.

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, looking concerned.

"First Twilight thinks there's something wrong, now you start questioning me. It's really annoying," Spike said.

"Well, there's something off about you, Spike, and I could tell the moment you picked me up for this date. Did I do something wrong two days ago? I mean, what's the deal?"

"You didn't do anything," Spike said. Ruby took this the wrong way.

"Were you really expecting me to do _that_ on the first date?" Ruby asked.

"What are you talking about?" Spike asked. Ruby was taken aback.

"Nothing," she said before changing the subject. "I'm just really worried about you, Spike."

"Well, save your worry," Spike said. "I'm fine."

"Well, that's a load of pony manure if I've ever heard it," Ruby said. "There's obviously something bothering you."

"Well, I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"So there _is_ something wrong," Ruby said.

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't," Spike countered. "What's it to you?"

"You're unbelievable," Ruby said. "I never thought you could be like this. You're acting like such a dragon right now."

"I am?" Spike asked. "Really? Well, that's just great."

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked.

"What are _you_ talking about?" Spike asked in return.

"This is pointless!" Ruby barked. "If I'd known you'd act like this, I would have told you not to bother taking me out tonight." For the first time, Spike looked especially sad. Ruby caught the look of sorrow in the dragon's eye and took his claw in her hand.

"I didn't mean that," Ruby said. "I'm sorry."

"No," Spike said. "I'm sorry. I know there's something wrong, but it's too difficult to talk about it."

"You can tell me," Ruby said. "I promise not to tell anyone else."

"There's no point," Spike said. "You can't change the past. Believe me, I saw Twilight try to change the future, and it didn't work out so well."

"Maybe I can't change the past," Ruby said, "but I believe we can change our own futures and challenge our own fates. I know you're better than this, Spike, and no matter what happened to you, I know you'll find the strength to get through it." Spike was touched by the sentiment, but he wasn't able to express how he felt in words. Instead, he kissed Ruby on the cheek. Ruby blushed and her heart melted at the touch. For the first time in two days, Spike dared to allow himself a smile.

"How do I keep bumping into you?" Rainbow Dash asked Pinkie Pie, not willing to admit to herself that perhaps she was purposefully running into the pink mare on purpose. Pinkie Pie, oblivious to this, shook her head.

"I have no idea!" she said. Rainbow Dash sighed and let out a laugh.

"Hey," Pinkie Pie said, "how did things go with Applejack yesterday?"

"They went fine," Rainbow Dash said with a coldness in her voice. Pinkie Pie noticed this but decided not to comment on it. She bounced alongside Rainbow Dash as they made their way through Ponyville, admiring the ponies bustling through their weekends.

"Hey," Pinkie Pie said. "aren't you on duty today?"

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, playing dumb.

"Oh, I'm just saying that I thought I saw you moving some clouds around, so I figured you were working."

"Oh, right. Yeah, I am on duty, but I decided to take a break," Rainbow Dash said. "I am the manager, after all, so I can give myself breaks like that."

"Cool," Pinkie Pie said. "I wish I could do that, but I have to take care of the bakery this afternoon for the Cakes so they can run some errands. Don't get me wrong, it's super-duper fun to run the bakery, but it's a lot of work, too, and I wish I could give myself a break whenever I want."

"Yeah, guess that's just one of the perks of being me," Rainbow Dash said smugly. Pinkie Pie laughed, and her laughter made Rainbow Dash's heart melt.

_Don't do this_, Rainbow Dash said to herself.

"So when do you have to go back to work?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh, whenever," Rainbow Dash said.

"Really? Aren't you supposed to be responsible enough to not take too long a break?"

"Yeah, but who's going to complain? Nopony's ever complained about it before."

"That's weird," Pinkie Pie said, "because those clouds over there look like they're about to rain and I thought I heard the weather was supposed to be sunny today."

"Aw, we don't always have to have the forecasts totally right," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie found this even weirder, but this time said nothing about it.

"I hope Rarity's okay," Pinkie Pie said. "I wish we could have done more to help her."

"Should we check up on her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No way! We saw Twilight yesterday, remember? Rarity kicked her out of the boutique. I don't want her to treat _me_ like that," Pinkie Pie said. "I hate being rejected..."

_Me too_, Rainbow Dash thought, and her nerves started to flutter. Her nerves weren't the only thing. Pinkie Pie's tail started twitching.

"Uh-oh!" Pinkie Pie said. "Look out!" Pinkie Pie dove into Rainbow Dash and pushed her out of the way of a falling potted plant. They looked up to see a pony wincing and cursing her sloppy hooves.

"Sorry!" the pony said before shutting her window and going to get the remains of the potted plant.

"That's okay!" Pinkie Pie called up. She stayed atop Rainbow Dash on the ground, and Rainbow Dash looked up at her and was reminded of how beautiful the pink mare was. Without even thinking, she went in for a kiss and caught Pinkie Pie completely off guard. Their lips touched for only a moment before Pinkie Pie broke away in confusion.

"Dashie, what are you doing?" she asked, shocked at Rainbow Dash's move.

"I don't know!" Rainbow Dash cried, looking horrified at what she'd done.

"Are you sure things are okay between you and Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Things are great!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Then why did you kiss me?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I don't know, you were just lying on top of me and I let my instincts get the better of me."

"Instincts?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Does that mean you like me?"

"Yes," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, no. I mean, I don't know. Look, just let me explain-"

"I think you should go back to work," Pinkie Pie said, cutting Rainbow Dash off. Rainbow Dash sputtered, trying to explain herself, but finding she lacked the words. Instead, she flew off without even saying goodbye, leaving Pinkie Pie winded and terribly confused.

"So," Applejack said to Big Mac as they were working on the orchard," you never did tell me how yer first date with Twilight went."

"Ah didn't?" Big Mac asked, playing dumb.

"No, you foal," Applejack said jokingly. "So what's the scoop?"

"Why are you so interested?" Big Mac asked.

"What are ya talking about? Yer my brother. Ah'm interested in everything you do," Applejack said.

"Well, ah'm flattered," Big Mac replied, "but ah hardly think it's any of yer business."

"Really?" Applejack asked. "That means ya two must have done somethin'. Otherwise you wouldn't be keepin' no secrets."

"Ah've said it before, AJ, and ah'll say it again. Yer too smart for yer own good sometimes."

"Ah, ya big tease, why don't ya give me the scoop? Ah want to know what you and Twilight are up to."

"Why don't you tell me where you've been goin' all this time?" Big Mac asked. "You've never been this absent from the farm."

"Touché," Applejack said. "Ah suppose you can keep yer secrets if ah can keep mine."

"Thank you," Big Mac said."

"Say, where's Applebloom?" Applejack asked. "I thought she'd help us tend to the orchard today."

"She has the day off," Big Mac said. "She's with those friends of hers at the tree house."

"Oh, ah reckon that's okay. Didn't know Grannie Smith gave her the day off."

""Eeyup, she said the little filly deserved a break every once in a while. Said she was too young to be workin' so hard."

"Ah reckon that's true," Applejack said. "So, ya really ain't gonna say nothin' about yer date with Twilight?"

"Well, ah reckon there ain't nothin' to hide. Ah just like my privacy, that's all."

"Well, if there's nothin' to hide, ain't no reason for that privacy, then," Applejack said.

"Then there's some little thing to hide," Big Mac said.

"Ooh, now it's getting' juicy," Applejack said.

"Shut it, you. Nothin' serious happened," Big Mac said.

"That's a little disappointin'," Applejack said.

"What can ah say?" Big Mac asked with a smile. "It's not like Twilight's an easy mare. Though fer a brainiac, she's a mighty good kisser." Applejack's mouth fell open in shock.

"Ah thought you said you wouldn't tell me nothin'!" she said.

"Well, ah changed mah mind," Big Mac said, still smiling.

"Is she really that good?" Applejack asked.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said, and Applejack couldn't help but imagine Twilight's tongue in her mouth. She snapped herself out of it quickly, though, not wanting to betray how turned on she was.

"And you didn't do nothin' else?" Applejack asked.

"Nope," Big Mac said. "We left it at that. At least, until tomorrow night."

"You big tease, you," Applejack said.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said.

"What do ya reckon?" Applebloom asked her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The other two fillies just looked at her incongruously, shrugging their shoulders.

"We've already been over this," Sweetie Belle said. "We don't know what it'd be like to like another mare, so we should stop bothering trying to guess about it."

"You aren't the least bit curious?" Applebloom asked.

"Nope," Sweetie Belle said. "I lost my curiosity a long time ago."

"Wow, stuffy much?" Scootaloo asked. "You're acting more and more like your sister every day."

"Am not!" Sweetie Belle said, horrified at the thought of even remotely sounding like Rarity.

"Are too!" Scootaloo said, teasing her.

"All right, settle down," Applebloom said. "Ah reckon it ain't much different than likin' a colt."

"Really?" Scootaloo asked. Sweetie Belle gave a humph and turned away. "Why do you say that?"

"Because colts like fillies all the time, and that's normal. So when a filly likes a filly, maybe it's like that, or maybe it's like when a filly likes a colt, only different, ya know?" Scootaloo shook her head as if she was trying to clear it of confusion.

"You're going to give me a headache," she said. Applebloom laughed.

"Ah've already got a headache," she said. "This whole thing is just so confusin'. And Zecora didn't make it easier to understand."

"She said it was okay, though," Scootaloo said. "I at least got that part. Do you think it's okay, Applebloom?"

"Ah reckon ah don't know," Applebloom said. "What about you, Scootaloo?"

"I think it's fine," Scootaloo said. "If Rainbow Dash likes other mares, then it can't be that bad, can it? I mean, she's like the coolest pony ever, so whatever she does is okay with me."

"Ah reckon that's true of mah big sis as well," Applebloom said. "What about you, Sweetie Belle? How do you feel about it?"

"I'm not interested," Sweetie Belle said, turning away from her friends.

"Come on, you were interested when Zecora was talking about it," Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, but _she_ was talking in rhymes. It's hard not to be interested in that."

"So let me try that," Scootaloo said. "What do you think of mares liking mares? Tell us, if you dare."

"I don't like it," Sweetie Belle said.

"What?" Scootaloo asked. "What's wrong with it?"

"It just ain't natural," Sweetie Belle said. "I don't think my sister would approve of it, so neither do I?"

"That's really harsh. So, you're just going to write off Rainbow Dash and Applebloom's sister?"

"Well, no," Sweetie Belle said, "not exactly. It's just I'm not sure about the whole thing, that's all."

"That's a lot better than saying you hate it," Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, that's true," Applebloom chimed in. "Ya shouldn't say ya flat out hate the idea, even if yer sure."

"I suppose," Sweetie Belle said.

"She'll come around," Scootaloo said. "Someday, I hope."

"Maybe," Sweetie Belle said, "but I doubt it."

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were making out in Celestia's bed, their tongues pushing into each other's mouths. They were in a compromising position, with their legs wrapped up around each other. It was then that they heard a rapid knocking at the door. No sooner had the two princesses untangled themselves that the door opened.

"Excuse me," Celestia said to the guard who came in, "but did I not specifically ask for privacy?"

"What are you talking about?" the guard asked before seeing Luna on the bed with her sister.

"What are you two doing...?" the guard asked.

"It's none of your business," Celestia said, while Luna tried to hide her blushing. "That's why I asked for privacy in the first place."

"Well, there's been a bit of an emergency at the archives, and I figured you needed to know right away."

"Unless they're burning down," Celestia said, "the archives can wait."

"I don't think so," the guard said. "It turns out that the scrolls concerning Discord have been stolen from the archive. We're not sure who's responsible for this, but they didn't leave a trace behind suggesting how they broke in. We think it was an inside job."

"That is serious," Celestia said. "Those scrolls contain information of how Discord was released. I'll have to look into it. You may go."

"Yes, your highness," the guard said, standing attention and turning to walk out of the room.

"Sorry about that, Luna," Celestia said, "but I really need to look into that."

"No problem," Luna said. "Our little fling can wait."

"It certainly can," Celestia said before rising from the bed and heading for the archives. If the notes on Discord had been stolen, who knows what kind of chaos could ensue?


	20. The Chance of a Lifetime

**Chapter 20: The Chance of a Lifetime**

"What's the latest on those missing scrolls?" Princess Celestia asked as she burst into the archives. Shining Armor, who was leading the investigation, responded to the princess.

"So you've heard?" he asked grimly. "Well, we're not sure what happened, but we're combing through the crime scene for evidence. As you know, we have unicorns skilled in forensics to deal with the situation."

"I'd like to speak to their leader, if possible," Princess Celestia asked.

"Certainly, your Highness," Shining Armor said. "I can get her for you right away."

"Thank you," Celestia said, and Shining Armor quickly summoned the unicorn head of forensics, whose name was Iris Watcher. She introduced herself to Princess Celestia and bowed respectfully.

"There's no need for that at this time," Princess Celestia said, and Iris quickly rose back to her hooves.

"Well then," she said with a taut tone, "what is it you would like to know?"

"Have you discovered any leads on the missing scrolls?" Celestia asked.

"Presently, we have no conclusive leads."

"Why am I not surprised?" Celestia asked.

"Do not be discouraged; we have been able to narrow it down. There were no hoof markings detected in the area, which leads us to believe a unicorn was the culprit. We're scanning the environment for any lingering traces of magic, but we are busy parsing through the traces that are considered a normal part of the operation of these archives."

"In other words?" Celestia asked politely.

"We're doing all we can at the moment," Iris explained with a small smile. She was used to ponies being unable to understand the jargon of the field.

"Thank you anyway," Celestia said, grinning sheepishly. "Is there anything my sister or I could do to aid the investigation?"

"I think we've got things covered around here, princess-no offense, of course."

"None taken," the princess said kindly. "Just let me know of any new developments."

"Will do," Iris said before bowing again.

"On your hooves," Celestia said. "You have work to do."

Rarity laid awake that night, feeling horribly anxious and ashamed. Her stomach writhed as if it were on fire, and Rarity had broken into a cold sweat that was so profuse that she feared she was suffering from an illness.

_A mental illness is more likely_, she said to herself. _How mental was I to do such a thing to Spike?_ It wasn't the first time Rarity had asked herself that question, nor would it be the last.

Tired of trying to fall asleep, Rarity rose from her bed and trotted outside the boutique to get some air. She looked in the direction of Twilight's library and began to sob uncontrollably, feeling like a horrible mare. Nothing had ever been so low for her. Her love for Twilight-and she did call it love now-had been crushed when Big Mac took her out. Her friendship with Spike vanished when she performed such an unforgivable act. And when the others found out what she had done, they would surely shun her. Rarity felt so alone and miserable that her sobbing woke her neighbor Lyra. Lyra trotted outside to talk to Rarity.

"What's going on?" she asked kindly, ever the one to be polite.

"It's...it's nothing," Rarity said, hoping to avoid discussing her feelings with a mare she hardly knew.

"It hardly looks like nothing," Lyra said, "and I don't mean to upset you any further, but you did wake me up and I just wanted to let you know."

"Oh...? Oh, I'm ever so sorry," Rarity said. "I didn't mean to make such a ruckus."

"It's all right," Lyra said, not sure why she was trying to comfort Rarity. "It's just I wanted to know what was wrong. I was...well, kind of hoping if you talked to somepony, you might stop crying and I could go back to sleep."

"Huh," Rarity said. "Well, if you must know, there is something wrong, but I'd rather not talk about it."

"Have you thought about going to see Doctor Shrink?" Lyra asked. "I'm sorry, I'm being presumptuous, but you just seemed really upset and-"

"It's all right," Rarity said, cutting her off. "I know I must look a fright. Really, though, I don't think a psychologist is necessary here."

"No, it was stupid of me to bring it up. Except I went to see him before I came out to Bon Bon, and wouldn't you know how happy that turned out. I just thought maybe it would help you feel better. God, I'm a real ass sometimes. I must sound so condescending."

"It's all right," Rarity said again. "I know you're just trying to help."

"Yes, yes I am," Lyra said before taking a deep breath. "Look, if you don't want to talk about it, I understand, but maybe you could possibly go back inside? I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to, but it might be better for everypony else. You know what I'm trying to say, right?"

"I do," Rarity said, "and I suppose you're right. It's really rather selfish of me to air my woes in such a public space."

"I think you're right," Lyra said, "I really do. Not that I think you're selfish. I know you're the Element of Generosity and everything, but I guess I'm just annoyed at having been woken up."

"No, I get it," Rarity said before trotting towards the boutique. "Goodnight, Lyra."

"Goodnight, Rarity. Try to sleep well, okay?"

"Okay," Rarity said before shutting the door to her boutique. She let out a sigh of frustration at how insulting Lyra had been, but then the despair from earlier returned.

Did she need to see Doctor Shrink? It was possible she would have to, given the grief she was feeling and the enormous pressure of the guilt weighing on her. Then again, she didn't want word getting out that she was seeing a psychologist or everypony would start to wonder why, and then word about her and Spike might leak somehow. Not that Spike would tell anypony, except possibly Twilight, and the prospect of that made Rarity shudder. Rarity hoped she would be able to take this secret with her to the grave. At least then she wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions if somepony found out about the rape.

_Oh, what am I going to do?_ she thought.

Doctor Shrink went to bed that night reeling. There was something very wrong in his gut and he didn't know what it was. It was time to play shrink with his own mind, as he so often made it a hobby of doing. He thought a little focused thinking might bring him to the root of his problem.

Doctor Shrink closed his eyes and focused on the parts of the body that were feeling tense. His heart was beating abnormally fast, which was odd, and he could feel tension in his neck. Deciding to focus on the neck, he recalled an image of himself sitting with a patient, although he couldn't immediately identify which one.

Then something very strange began to happen to him. His member started to grow stiff. Surprised at his arousal, he focused on it to see what was causing it. The image of himself with a patient returned to his mind, only this time the patient was more defined. She was yellow with a flowing pink mane.

Now Doctor Shrink recognized who the patient was, and he started to feel ashamed of himself. Obviously his feelings were extremely unethical, and he knew he ought to stop seeing Fluttershy in order to maintain his professionalism. There was a problem with this, however. He was the only psychologist in Ponyville, and judging from his first meeting with the mare, she was in desperate need of his help.

Doctor Shrink didn't know what to do. Should he warn Fluttershy about his feelings but continue to see her? Should he recommend her to a neighboring town's psychologist? Or should he keep his feelings to himself and hope Fluttershy never caught wise? There was so much wrong with all three of these choices. Warning Fluttershy would clearly make things far too awkward to continue his work with her. Telling her she needed to see someone else would immediately raise suspicion as to why she needed to do so. And the temptations evident in keeping his arousal a secret were dangerous.

In the end, Doctor Shrink decided to suppress his feelings and see if he couldn't continue to see his patient. After all, he'd never had a problem with any of his patients before Fluttershy, and he believed his professionalism would overcome any desires he might have.

_I just hope I'm right_, he thought.

_What have I done?_ Rainbow Dash thought to herself. She was referring to her surprising move to attempt to kiss Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash felt dirty for even considering it, let alone following through with what was clearly a sinful impulse.

She was worried that Pinkie Pie might tell Applejack what happened, but Rainbow Dash reminded herself that Pinkie Pie was a mare who was decidedly gung ho about keeping secrets. Somehow, however, this only made Rainbow Dash feel more apprehensive.

She had no idea what she would do the next time she saw Applejack. Should she own up to what she did? That would cause a riff in an already tense situation. Rainbow Dash considered trying to keep it a secret, but that would make her feel horribly guilty, as she did now.

Then Rainbow Dash began to consider why she had done it in the first place. Were things really that bad with Applejack that she felt like she needed to cheat on her? Because it was cheating, even if Pinkie Pie didn't reciprocate. That much was clear.

Rainbow Dash rolled over in her bed, groaning to herself. She had made a mess of the whole situation and was unsure how to clean it up. Should she ask Pinkie Pie what to do about it? Yes, that would be a good move. Perhaps Pinkie Pie had some sound advice about how to deal with the situation.

Feeling better about her decision, Rainbow Dash fell back to sleep. However, she awoke a short time later after an incredibly erotic dream in which she was at Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie Pie baking sweets. In the dream, the two mares were baking a cake when Pinkie Pie decided to rub batter into Rainbow Dash's body and start to lick it off. Pinkie Pie continued to lick Rainbow Dash well after she was free of batter, and she slowly began to lick lower and lower until she was licking Rainbow Dash's vagina. The arousal this image released was enough to awaken Rainbow Dash, who was now in a cold sweat.

The mare felt horrible even imagining this pleasure, even if the dream was completely involuntary. There was something clearly wrong with her relationship with Applejack that was driving her towards Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash couldn't immediately identify what that problem might be. It seemed to her that dating Applejack had been exhilarating at first, but their constant bickering had put a damper on the excitement and began to drive her away.

But why did the two of them argue so much? Rainbow Dash imagined that their previous bickering had been the result of suppressed sexual tension, especially the time when they were competing to see which pony was more athletic. But that didn't explain the continued tension after they started dating.

Rainbow Dash thought of her commitment issues once again and decided that if she really loved Applejack, as she had tried to do, then these issues simply wouldn't exist. This much was evident to her, but she couldn't understand why the feelings that had clearly existed before she started dating her had faded over time.

There was nothing for it. To solve this dilemma, Rainbow Dash needed to go back to sleep and discuss things with Pinkie Pie in the morning. With this in mind, Rainbow Dash shut her eyes and tried to doze off. She didn't have much success.

Rainbow Dash wasn't the only one thinking of the recent developments. Pinkie Pie had her own difficulty going to sleep that night, as she could only think about Rainbow Dash's attempt to kiss her. Why did Rainbow Dash even do it? Pinkie Pie imagined that she was having issues with Applejack but could not identify what those issues might be. In her naïveté, she believed that Rainbow Dash still had feelings for Applejack, even though Rainbow Dash herself had been able to admit to herself that she clearly didn't.

_So why would she try to kiss me if she's in love with Applejack?_ Pinkie Pie asked herself. The answer wasn't clear, and this question only brought up so many others.

She thought about the possibility of discussing what happened with Rainbow Dash, but she told herself that she didn't want to make things more awkward than they already were. But she didn't want to avoid Rainbow Dash either, as that would also make things more awkward than they already were. Pinkie Pie, therefore, did not know how to handle the situation.

Then Pinkie Pie wondered if she shouldn't tell Applejack what happened. Even though she was notorious for her secret-keeping, Pinkie Pie felt that Applejack deserved to know what had happened, even if it would break her heart. But it felt too much like meddling into affairs that weren't her own, so Pinkie Pie quashed the idea.

But then how was she going to handle this? She didn't want to talk to Rainbow Dash, she didn't want to talk to Applejack, and she didn't want this to keep running around her head the way it did. Telling somepony else, like Twilight, for example, would be out of the question. It wasn't fair of her to bring one of her friends into this mess while going behind the backs of both parties involved.

It was too much for Pinkie Pie to make sense of without a good night's rest, so she did her best to table the issue until the morning came. Thankfully, Pinkie Pie was able to distract herself, so she slept soundly until the morning came. It was then that she was awoken by a knocking on the door of Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie groaned to herself as she went down the stairs and opened the door, but her sleepiness was jolted out of her when she saw who had knocked.

"Dashie, what are you doing here so early?" Pinkie Pie asked, her heart pounding.

"Look, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said, "I wish I didn't have to come, but I have to talk to you about what happened yesterday."

"I don't really want to talk about what happened yesterday," Pinkie Pie explained to Rainbow Dash.

"What? But we have to talk about it. I feel terrible for what I did and I didn't know what else to do about it."

"I don't think I can help you," Pinkie Pie said. "You need to talk to Applejack about it. I won't do it because it's not really my business what happens between you two, but I think she deserves to know and you have to be the one to tell her."

"I can't do that! She'd never speak to me again," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, it's a risk you're going to have to take!" Pinkie Pie said, trying to keep her voice down despite her anger beginning to rise. "I mean, maybe you should have thought of that before trying to kiss me."

"Look, it's not like you let anything happen," Rainbow Dash said. "Can't we just forget about the whole thing?"

"I don't know, Dashie. You look awfully tired. Did it keep you from sleeping?"

"Well, it kind of did..." Rainbow Dash admitted.

"Then I don't think it's so easily forgotten," Pinkie Pie said.

"You're probably right," Rainbow Dash said to Pinkie Pie.

"So what are we going to do?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I was hoping you'd know!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Well, I don't know, and I don't think I can really help you," Pinkie Pie said.

"You already said that," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, it's true."

"So what's going to happen here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I think you should just go. Let's see if we can't forget about it. But I still think you need to tell Applejack."

"Forget that," Rainbow Dash said. "I have enough to deal with right now."

"Suit yourself," Pinkie Pie said. "Just don't let it happen again."

"I promise I won't," Rainbow Dash said, and she flew off without another word. Pinkie Pie shook her head and shut the door, hoping the whole thing would just go away. Rainbow Dash was right, the stress wasn't worth it.

Spike was groggy when the morning came, as he had spent all night grappling with himself about what to do concerning the situation with Rarity. Unfortunately for him, Twilight noticed, and she immediately bombarded him with questions.

"Spike, you haven't been sleeping well for days," she said. "Now, I know something's up, but I'm really frustrated that you won't tell me. I asked you as a friend, and now I'm ordering you as my assistant."

"Are you serious?" Spike asked. "You're really doing this."

"Yes, I am. I can't stand to see you so upset, and I'll do whatever I have to to find out what's going on. That's why I magically sealed the door to my room so you can't leave until you talk."

"What?" Spike asked.

"I'm not foaling around," Twilight said.

"Apparently not," Spike muttered. "But it's nothing really, Twilight. I just haven't been sleeping well because I'm nervous about where things are headed with Ruby." This was an outright lie, but Twilight had been desperate and Spike had been far too ashamed to admit what happened with Rarity.

"Really?" Twilight asked. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Spike said.

"Well, I _guess_ that makes sense. I mean, this is your first relationship and it's probably very confusing. So what are you thinking?"

"Well, I don't know if I really like her or not," Spike said. "I mean, she's great, don't get me wrong, but isn't there supposed to be like a spark when I think about her? Because I'm not sure I'm feeling that."

"Oh no," Twilight said. "That probably isn't a good sign."

"It isn't?" Spike asked, horrified. It was easy now to cover up his problem with Rarity, as this actually touched on a real concern he'd been having, even though it had been driven out of his mind.

"Well...no. If that spark isn't there...I don't know what to tell you, but maybe you have to break things off with Ruby."

"But I don't want to do that," Spike said. "I left her once already, and look what she did! She followed me all the way to Ponyville. I thought I'd humor her with a few dates, and now look at the mess I'm in." _And Rarity certainly hasn't helped matters_, Spike thought to himself.

"Look, Spike, I know this is a very confusing time for you, but I want to tell you that you have to hang in there. If you don't want to break things off with Ruby, I think I understand. Maybe your feelings will change after some time."

"Are you sure?" Spike asked.

"It's entirely possible," Twilight said. "Now that you've talked to me about what's troubling you, I suppose I can let you go. Sorry to hold you hostage."

"It's all right, Twilight. It's good to talk things out like this."

"I'm glad to hear it," Twilight said. "Now, can you straighten up the library today while I'm gone?"

"Where are you going?" Spike asked.

"I'm going to give the Apple family a surprise visit," Twilight said.

"Oh, I get it," Spike said. "You want to see Big Mac, don't you?" Twilight blushed.

"Maybe," she said.

"Well, have fun, and say hi for me," Spike said before getting up and starting to go to work on the shelves in Twilight's room.

"Thanks Spike," Twilight said.

"You're welcome," Spike replied.

Twilight arrived at Sweet Apple Acres about half an hour later and surprised Big Mac, the first pony she saw, with a surprise kiss on the cheek. Big Mac jolted in surprise and turned around only to see the purple mare smiling at him, and he breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled.

"Ah can't believe ya gave me a start like that," Big Mac said.

"Sorry," Twilight said. "I just wanted to stop by and say hi."

"It's mighty fine of you to stop by, Twilight," Big Mac said.

"Thanks," Twilight said, blushing. "So how are things on the farm?"

"They're going mighty well," Big Mac said. "The apples look promising this year. They're already starting to come in on the north side. Look, you can see them startin' to sprout." Twilight glanced at the nearby trees and noticed small fruits beginning to blossom.

"That's incredible," Twilight said.

"Ah know," Big Mac said. "It's what ah live for." Surprisingly, Twilight saw a tear slide down Big Mac's cheek, but Big Mac acted like nothing happened.

"So, um..." he said, "how are things with you and Rarity? I guess mah showin' up didn't blow over too well."

"Yeah, I don't really know what that was about," Twilight said. "She just got really upset when she found out you were taking me out."

"Was she jealous?" Big Mac asked. "Ah know it's a crazy thought, ah was just wonderin'."

"I'm not sure," Twilight said, although she knew perfectly well why Rarity reacted the way she did, and she felt guilty for leading her on.

"Aw, forget ah said anything," Big Mac said. "Ah can tell you're just rackin' yer brain, and it ain't worth it."

"Really?" Twilight asked.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said. "Even if Rarity is a mite jealous, ah don't think you should worry yer pretty little head over it."

"Okay then..." Twilight said. "How's the family?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

"They're goin'," Big Mac said. "Granny Smith's a little under the weather right now, so Applebloom's takin' care of her. That leaves Applejack and me to do the chores on the farm."

"What's she up to?" Twilight asked.

"She's tendin' to the other crops while I work on these apples," Big Mac said. "Actually, she's been actin' mighty strange lately."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Ah mean she's not so talkative as usual. Around the dinner table she's about as quiet as ah am, and she seems really lost in her own thoughts. Ah've talked about this with the rest of the family, and Applebloom wouldn't say nothin', but she looked mighty nervous about somethin'. Granny Smith and ah have no idea neither."

"That's...that's odd," Twilight said, thinking she knew what was on Applejack's mind, but if Big Mac didn't know what it was, it wasn't right for her to tell him without Applejack's permission.

"Ya got any idea what's goin' on with her?" Big Mac asked.

"No, I don't," Twilight lied.

"Okay," Big Mac said. "Ah was hopin' one of her best friends would know, but it's all right that ya don't."

"Sorry," Twilight said. "I wish I could be more help."

"Nope," Big Mac said. "Don't worry about it."

This was it! The notes about how to release Discord were all here! It excited her to no end, knowing that she would finally be able to meet the god of chaos in the flesh. The only problem was she needed to find a way to spend considerable time in the garden without being detected while she performed the ancient spell.

Wondering how to plan out the logistics, she considered all the forms she could take and wondered which would be most suitable. Posing as a guard would look wrong, as it would look suspicious if she stayed in one place for too long. Perhaps a maintenance pony was a better idea. She could pretend to be polishing the statue as she worked. Yes, this would be a much better idea.

She worried that somepony would find out she was still lurking around. It had been hard enough to recover after Shining Armor had repelled her from Canterlot, but she would exact her revenge on the whole of Equestria yet.

Queen Chrysalis knew this spell was the chance of a lifetime, and she was not about to mess it up.


	21. Fine Young Mares

**Chapter 21: Fine Young Mares**

Rainbow Dash found herself very confused and nervous when she arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to pick Applejack up for a date. Not that she feared Applejack's family finding out about them; after all, it wasn't unusual for one of Applejack's friends to stop by. What confused her was her feelings for Applejack and how they had been threatened, both by arguments with Applejack and by new found feelings for Pinkie Pie.

_Don't think about Pinkie Pie_, Rainbow Dash told herself, and somehow she was able to drive the pink pony out of her mind when she knocked on the door to the farmhouse. Applejack answered and hugged her friend happily.

"Howdy, RD," Applejack said. "Ready to go?"

"Not so fast, whippersnapper!" Granny Smith called from inside the house. "Come on in and say hello! Ah haven't seen ya fer ages."

"Okay," Rainbow Dash said as she entered the house and waved to an excited Granny Smith, who seemed very pleased to see her. _Obviously she doesn't know_, Rainbow Dash thought. Applebloom was also nearby, and she tackled Rainbow Dash in an affectionate hug.

"How's it goin', Rainbow Dash?" Applebloom asked, doing her best to hide what she knew about her.

"Great," Rainbow Dash said. "I feel fantastic."

"That sure is great to hear!" Applebloom said perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. "You an AJ got any special plans fer tonight?"

"Just hangin' out, Applebloom," Applejack said. "Nothin' out o' the ordinary." Applejack swallowed nervously, but her family didn't notice.

"Where's Big Mac?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Likely out to pick up Twilight fer their date," Applejack said.

"Oh, all right," Rainbow Dash said. "What do you guys think? Are they cute together or what?"

"Just the sweetest," Granny Smith said. "Between you and me ah've known fer a long time Big Mac fancied Twilight, ever since he brought that fancy stuffed animal o' her's home. It's lovely to see them together now."

"Yes-siree!" Applebloom added. "Ah think they're plum adorable!"

"That's good news," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm glad you approve of them."

"Yes, now if only Applejack would get off her rump and find a nice stallion," Granny Smith said.

"Granny Smith, please," Applejack pleaded. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Oh, I'm just bustin' yer hump," Granny Smith said. "But ya really should spend some time lookin' for a nice young fella to take you under his arm. Would be mighty keen of ya to talk to Caramel every once in a while. I hear he has a thing fer ya."

"Ah wouldn't mind findin' a stallion," Applebloom said.

"Yer too young!" Granny Smith scolded. "Don't you even think about datin' no stallions until you get yer cutie mark, and even then we'll see!"

"No fair!" Applebloom cried. "Why can't a nice fella take _me_ under his arm?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Granny Smith said, "and ah won't hear another word of it."

"Maybe we should just go," Applejack said to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash agreed, and the two of them scooted out of the house as stealthily as they could. Finally in the reprieve of the evening's fresh air, they decided to head towards Ponyville for their date. Along the way they talked about the spat with Twilight and Rarity that had come up three days before.

"Ya know, RD, a crazy thought keeps poppin' up in mah head," Applejack said.

"What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"What if Rarity really likes Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"Well, of course she likes her. They're friends," Rainbow Dash said.

"No no no, ah mean _really_ likes her. As in, like like."

"Oh..." Rainbow Dash said, thinking. "Doubt it."

"What makes you so sure?" Applejack asked.

"What makes _you_ think Rarity likes her?" Rainbow Dash responded.

"Ah reckon ah can't say. All ah know is Twilight starts datin' Big Mac, and all of a sudden Rarity gets really upset. She _claims_ it's about an order, but ah reckon that's a front. Ah'm terrible at it mahself, but ah know a liar when ah see one, and Rarity ain't this worked up over no stinkin' order."

"You probably have a point," Rainbow Dash said, "but what's there to be done about it now?"

"Nothin', ah reckon," Applejack said. "We'll just have to wait and see if anythin' comes of it."

"I suppose so," Rainbow Dash said. "So what _do_ you think of Twilight and Big Mac?"

"Well, confound it if that's what's got Rarity so upset, but other than that, good fer them. It'll give Twilight somethin' to do other than studyin' friendship. Ah mean, ah'm glad the princess has her learnin' about friends; she really needed the help in that department, if ya know what ah mean. But that mare needs some free time to let loose and _relax_, for Celestia's sake."

"You've got a point there," Rainbow Dash said. "Twilight really needs to chill out sometimes. You remember when she was freaking out because she was going to be _tardy_, right?"

"All too well," Applejack said. "But ah'm glad at least _that's_ over with."

"Me, too," Rainbow Dash said. As the two of them continued to trot in silence, Applejack rested her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. Rainbow Dash returned the gesture by placing her head on top of Applejack's, and the two of them headed into the village in this fashion. They finally arrived at the place where they had wanted to go: the infamous Frosty Pony pub on the outskirts of Ponyville. Applejack had told Rainbow Dash she needed to let loose and party Pinkie Pie style that night. Rainbow Dash had winced at the mention of Pinkie Pie, but had agreed that the Frosty Pony had the edge they wanted, and so they went into the pub and sat down at the booth. Music was playing from an old stereo near the back, and plenty of ponies were dancing and whooping enthusiastically. One of the servers made her way through the crowded pub to wait on Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The two ordered light beers for starters; they might try the harder stuff afterward if they felt up to it.

"So how drunk do you need to get to get up there and dance with me?" Applejack asked.

"Me?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Not too drunk, actually. In fact, I wouldn't mind doing it right now."

"Then you don't have inhibitions like me. Ah'd need at least three drinks before ah'd be caught dancin' in a pub, especially with another mare, no offense."

"Aw, come on, it's not like we would make out on the floor or anything." Rainbow Dash's eye was drawn to a couple of mares who were doing just that close to their table, but she shook her head and reminded herself not to stare.

"Here, let's split it right down the middle," Applejack said. "Two drinks and we'll dance. How does that sound?"

"If that's okay with you," Rainbow Dash said. "Again, I'd do it now, but if you want to settle for two drinks then be my guest."

"Sure deal," Applejack said, and the two clinked their glasses before downing some beer. Rainbow Dash could already feel the alcohol calming her and opening her up to conversation. All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, two stallions wandered over to Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's table.

"Hey there, cuties," one of the stallions said. "We were just wondering if you two fine young mares wouldn't mind dancing with us?"

"Uh...seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I told you not to be so direct!" the second stallion said to the first.

"Come on, a mare always likes a stallion who doesn't beat around the bush, am I right, fillies?"

"We're accounted fer," Applejack explained.

"Really? I don't see anypony else around," the first stallion said.

"Dude, they said they weren't interested. Drop it," the other stallion said.

"That's because we're each other's dates," Rainbow Dash told the first stallion. As if to cement her point, she grabbed Applejack's face and leaned in for a kiss. Applejack was taken by surprise but rolled with it, even daring to send her tongue into Rainbow Dash's mouth. She reckoned the beer was relaxing her more than she had expected it to. When they were done kissing, they turned to see the stallions still there.

"That was hot," the first stallion said. "Wanna do it again?"

"Get lost, you sick freak," Rainbow Dash said, shoving the first stallion away from her. Rather than back off, the stallion came closer and leaned near Rainbow Dash's face.

"You want to make something of it, buddy?" he asked.

"Come on. Let's just get out of here," the second stallion said. The first stallion reluctantly followed his buddy back on the floor. Rainbow Dash and Applejack shared a look that conveyed their surprise and disgust.

"Really, you'd think a stallion could take a hint," Applejack said.

"Whatever, let's not even worry about those guys. Hey, can we get two whiskeys over here?" Rainbow Dash asked their server as she walked past. The server nodded and came back in a flash with two whiskeys. Rainbow Dash downed hers quickly, feeling it burn as it trickled down her throat, and then signaled for Applejack to get on with it.

"This stuff burns," Applejack said. "Why'd you even order it?"

"Come on, AJ, I want to dance," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack reluctantly downed her whiskey as quickly as she could. She gagged as she brought the glass back down to the table, but before she could catch her breath Rainbow Dash swept her away from the table and onto the floor, where they started dancing to a popular song that neither of them recognized. The bass thumped loudly on the old speaker, and Applejack lost herself in the music with her marefriend.

The two of them essentially started doing their own thing on the floor, but Rainbow Dash soon grew bold and danced close to Applejack, swaying alongside her sensually. Applejack smiled sheepishly, but soon found herself dying to touch Rainbow Dash as she danced. The two swayed side by side together, with nothing in their heads but the pounding bass that matched their pounding hearts. This had been just the edge for which the two mares had been looking.

The two danced until their thirst got the better of them, so they stumbled out of the dance floor and ordered some waters. After draining those, Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at one another with such heat that both knew instantly that they desperately wanted to leave, so leave they did.

"You still got that cloud-walking spell?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yup," Applejack said.

"Then let's do this," Rainbow Dash replied. She lifted Applejack towards her home in the sky and set her down at the front door. As soon as they entered, the two of them started kissing passionately and moving towards Rainbow Dash's bedroom. They collapsed onto the fluffy bed, Applejack lying on top of Rainbow Dash, and licked each other's tongues longingly. The taste of beer permeated in their mouths, intoxicating them with its flavor.

"So how do you want to do this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah want to lick you till you scream mah name," Applejack said, kissing Rainbow Dash feverishly. Rainbow Dash broke away, gasping for breath.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked. Applejack needed no second invitation. She scooted down the bed and positioned her head at Rainbow Dash's supple opening. Slowly sliding her tongue along the lips, Applejack titillated Rainbow Dash's clitoris with her tongue, making the cyan pegasus breathe heavily. Applejack then started sucking on the clit, kissing it sloppily and moving it around her mouth. Rainbow Dash started pounding the bed in blissful agony, feeling her heat starting to rise within her. Applejack then bit down lightly on Rainbow Dash's clit and gently tugged at it, which made Rainbow Dash gasp.

"Dear Celestia," Rainbow Dash said. She groaned as Applejack continued to tug. While she did that she lapped at Rainbow Dash's clit with her tongue. This was too much for Rainbow Dash to handle. She started to thrust forward, which made Applejack lose her hold on the clitoris. Rainbow Dash was panting now, but Applejack refused to relent. She rubbed Rainbow Dash's thigh with her hoof as she continued to suck on her. She could taste the pegasus' spicy juices as they began to squirt at her. This aroused her to the point where she started rubbing harder and licking faster. Finally, Rainbow Dash felt her orgasm burst free in a wave of pure bliss, sending heat pulsing through her and making her sweat. She finally fell limp on the bed, totally spent and exhilarated by the pleasure. Applejack scooted back up to Rainbow Dash's mouth and kissed it, allowing Rainbow Dash to taste her juices mixed with the taste of beer. It was incredibly erotic.

"That was...that was...wow," Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah hope ah didn't hurt you," Applejack said.

"No way," Rainbow Dash said. "That was _amazing_."

"Ah reckon ah deserve an orgasm in return," Applejack said.

"You bet," Rainbow Dash said. "Just let me recover first. I feel like I just flew to Canterlot and back."

"Take all the time ya need, sugar," Applejack said. She lied down against Rainbow Dash's side and placed her hoof on Rainbow Dash's thigh, rubbing softly. Rainbow Dash felt a tingling sensation that pleased her, but she didn't want to owe Applejack two orgasms, so she quickly turned and planted a hot kiss on her mouth. Taken aback, Applejack nevertheless relaxed into the kiss, sending her tongue into Rainbow Dash's mouth. Rainbow Dash lowered her right hoof as they kissed and started to rub Applejack's vagina in a circular motion. She could hear Applejack moan in between their kisses. Rainbow Dash pulled back from Applejack's mouth and started to nip her neck. Applejack moaned sensually, which excited Rainbow Dash and encouraged her to rub Applejack faster.

Ever so slowly, she made her way down Applejack's body, kissing her chest and methodically moving down her stomach. When she started to kiss Applejack's thigh, the orange mare began to pant heavily.

"Just do it already," Applejack whispered. Rainbow Dash responded by moving more slowly towards Applejack's clit.

"You bitch," Applejack moaned. Rainbow Dash was aroused by the name, and she started to slowly lick Applejack's folds, eliciting a shudder from the farm pony.

"Come on, what are you playin' at?" Applejack asked, growing impatient and ever more aroused. Rainbow Dash smiled and looked up at her.

"Your complaining only makes me go slower," Rainbow Dash said.

"Fine. Take yer time," Applejack said. Now Rainbow Dash worked at a relentless pace to try to get Applejack to come. She lapped at Applejack's folds and rubbed her clitoris at the same time, which made Applejack groan with pleasure. Suddenly, Applejack felt her heat rise to a boiling point and she hollered Rainbow Dash's name, which made her work faster through the orgasm. Once Applejack came back down from her high, Rainbow Dash stopped and returned to Applejack's side.

"That was great," Applejack said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Rainbow Dash said.

"Ya know, ah never did get ya to scream my name," Applejack said.

"It's never too late to try," Rainbow Dash said.

"Then get ready," Applejack said.

Twilight and Big Mac were lounging in a field, looking at the stars. It was a muggy summer night, the kind that wouldn't relent in its heat, but for Twilight that weather was perfect. Big Mac, who had worked in the sun all day, was feeling tuckered out from the heat, but he stayed outside to watch his marefriend enjoy the stars.

"And that is the constellation of Leo," Twilight explained, mapping out the lion shape in front of her with her magic.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said.

"I'm sorry," Twilight suddenly replied. "Am I boring you?"

"Nope," Big Mac said.

"Oh, I'm totally boring you," Twilight said, apparently ignoring what Big Mac had just responded. "I can tell you're not into this. Oh, why did I bring you out here?"

"Relax, Twilight," Big Mac said. "Ah'm enjoyin' mahself."

"You are? Oh, thank goodness," Twilight said. "I was afraid I was boring you."

"So ah've heard," Big Mac said.

"Well," Twilight said, giggling. "I know something that might be a little more exciting..."

"Are ya seriously tryin' to flirt?" Big Mac asked.

"Maybe..." Twilight said.

"Well, to tell the truth, ya ain't very good at it," Big Mac said, chuckling. Twilight deflated, feeling irked.

"What?" Big Mac asked. "Ah didn't mean nothin' by it. Just that it's cute to see ya try, is all."

"Whatever," Twilight said, turning her back on Big Mac.

"Oh, come on," Big Mac said, trying to coax the unicorn to look at him. "Ah'm sorry ah shut ya down like that. It was just so funny to see you..." Twilight turned around with a smile on her face.

"I'm only kidding," Twilight said with a smirk. "I know I'm a terrible flirt."

"Oh, thank goodness," Big Mac said. "That was a close one."

"Whatever," Twilight said with a smile. She sidled up close to Big Mac and pointed out the constellation of Orion. Big Mac kissed Twilight on the cheek, but the purple mare turned to him.

"Come on, really?" Twilight asked. "You know where I want to be kissed."

"Oh, ah do, do ah?" Big Mac asked.

"I think you do," Twilight said.

"Really? Out here?" Big Mac asked. "That's a little personal to be doin' outside, ain't it?"

"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

"What are _you_ talkin' about?" Big Mac asked in reply.

"I thought you were going to kiss me on the lips," Twilight said.

"And _ah_ said that's a bit personal," Big Mac said.

"What's so bad about kissing me on the mouth?" Twilight asked.

"Oh," Big Mac said. "Oh, _that_ pair o' lips. Mah bad..."

"What did you think I meant? Oh..." Twilight said, realization dawning on her.

"Sorry," Big Mac said.

"No, it was my fault," Twilight said. "I led you on."

"No, mah mind is just too dirty," Big Mac said.

"Well, not really," Twilight said. "I have been thinking about it..." Big Mac could already feel his member rising in arousal. He tried to conceal it by shifting his leg.

"Thinkin' about...that?" Big Mac asked.

"Yes, _that_," Twilight said. "And I hope you know what I mean by _that_..."

"Ah reckon ah do," Big Mac said. "No miscommunication there."

"Good," Twilight said. "So...what were you thinking about it?"

"Ah was thinkin' ah didn't want to rush it, that ah would basically let ya decide when you were ready."

"That's very sweet of you," Twilight said. "You want to know what _I_ was thinking?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac said. Twilight sidled even closer and leaned towards Big Mac's ear.

"I think I'm ready now..." she said.

Big Mac was wrong, Twilight _was_ good at flirting.

They entered the library kissing each other ferociously, then suddenly remembered Spike's sleeping presence in the room. Twilight motioned for Big Mac to be quiet, then the two slowly went upstairs so as not to disturb the sleeping dragon. Once they had arrived in Twilight's room, she shut the door and placed a magical seal around it.

"That will keep noise from traveling down the staircase," Twilight said.

"Whatever you say," Big Mac said before starting to kiss Twilight again. The two of them stumbled onto the bed, which creaked under Big Mac's weight.

"You sure this bed can hold both of us?" Big Mac asked.

"Are you calling me fat?" Twilight asked playfully.

"No, but ah am called 'Big' Mac for a reason," Big Mac said.

"Don't worry about it," Twilight said, casting a spell on the bed. "It won't break now."

"Good," Big Mac said before returning to kiss Twilight's mouth. As they kissed, Twilight could feel Big Mac's member poking her in the stomach. She looked down and gasped in surprise.

"Wow, you really _are_ Big Mac," she said. Big Mac blushed.

"What's wrong?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, it's just...ah don't know. Ah reckon ah'm a little ashamed of mahself."

"Ashamed of yourself? That's nonsense!" Twilight said. "It's perfectly natural to feel this way. In fact, I take it as a compliment. Why are you so embarrassed?"

"It's a long story," Big Mac said. "Ah'll tell it later."

"Do you still want to do this?" Twilight asked.

"Well, why not?" Big Mac asked.

"Now you're talking," Twilight said. She let Big Mac straddle her for a brief moment, but his weight was too much for her.

"Why don't I go on top?" she asked.

"Ooh, okay," Big Mac said, excited to be mounted by the mare. Twilight positioned herself on top and tried to adjust herself so she was comfortable.

"Okay, how exactly do you do this?" she asked.

"You mean you've never...?" Big Mac asked.

"What kind of mare do you think I am?" Twilight asked. "I didn't even have friends till recently!"

"Sorry," Big Mac said.

"No, it's fine. Yes, I'm a virgin," Twilight lied. She didn't want him to know about her and Rarity just yet. Besides, she'd never been with a stallion before.

"Well, obviously it's gotta go in there," Big Mac said. Twilight blushed this time, thinking about what she was about to do.

"So, I've just got to...oh my!" she said, feeling Big Mac's penis suddenly encroach her chamber.

"Wow, that feels pretty good," Twilight said, blushing and smiling. Big Mac started thrusting into her.

"Ooh, ow ow ow," Twilight said. "It hurts a little."

"Should ah stop?" Big Mac asked.

"No way! It feels good," Twilight said. Big Mac needed no further invitation. He continued to thrust, albeit gently, as he didn't want to hurt Twilight any more. She begged him to thrust harder, and he did. The blood started to seep down his thigh, but he ignored it as he continued to pump himself inside Twilight. The thrusting became faster and harder, and Twilight started to feel more and more excited. She kissed Big Mac saucily in the mouth, and Big Mac smoothed out his rhythm, grinding and rotating against Twilight's body. He could feel a pressure building in his loins, the telltale sign that he was about to spurt. He had no time to warn Twilight before he ejaculated, filling her with his seed. Twilight felt the fluid enter her and became incredibly aroused, and she soon came to orgasm when she saw the semen dripping down her thigh. The two moaned as Big Mac continued to thrust until he was spent and Twilight came down from her high. She dismounted him and laid next to him on the bed, kissing him softly on the neck.

"How was it?" Big Mac asked.

"Wonderful. Thank you," Twilight said.

"You're welcome," Big Mac replied.

Queen Chrysalis, disguised as a member of maintenance, began to perform the spell that would release Discord from his prison. The guards nearby didn't notice her as she muttered incantations, they just continued on their patrol. _Those fools_, she thought to herself. _They'll rue the day they denied me of this kingdom._

Ever so slowly, the statue began to crack. Chrysalis continued the incantation, hoping the guards wouldn't notice. Eventually though, the cracking became louder and the guards came to investigate. Chrysalis shot magic out of the horn the maintenance unicorn possessed and knocked them cold. She had hoped she wouldn't have to do that, but they had left her no choice.

Ever so slowly, Chrysalis continued the spell until she heard an alarm blare from the castle. No doubt one of the pegasus guards had seen her knock out the two guards on the ground and warned the castle. It was too late for the guards to do anything about it now, as the statue crumbled away, revealing the draconequus inside.

"Well, it seems as if I've been freed again," Discord said. "And who do I have to thank for that?"

"Later," Chrysalis said, as she heard the guards approaching. "Get us out of here."

"Certainly, my savior," Discord said. He grabbed Chrysalis and teleported to a cave far from Canterlot.

"So who exactly are you?" Discord asked.

"I am Chrysalis," she said, changing to her true, jagged form, "queen of the changelings and future ruler of Equestria."

"Now now," Discord said. "We'll have to share that title."

"Of course," Chrysalis said. "And you need no introduction, god of chaos."

"No, indeed," Discord said. "I think my reputation speaks for itself."

"It certainly does," Chrysalis said. "Oh, sweet Discord, I have loved you from afar for so long. Now that you are among us once again, my feelings are irrepressible."

"Really?" Discord asked. "Little old me? Well, that's nice to hear, but I'm not about to jump into bed. What exactly is a changeling anyway?"

"We are a race of shape-changers," Chrysalis said. "I can be whoever or whatever you want..."

"Seriously?" Discord asked. Chrysalis changed form to Rarity, then to Fluttershy, and back to herself.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Discord thought greedily.


	22. Finish What You Start

**Chapter 22: Finish What You Start**

Lying next to Applejack's sleeping form made Rainbow Dash feel incredibly relaxed. Yes, her feelings had been tense that night, but whether it was the alcohol or some other power, something had loosened the frustrations of the past and lifted them from their shoulders. Making love to Applejack tonight had been unreal, like something from a fairy tale, and in no way did Rainbow Dash ever want that to change.

Applejack stirred and opened her eyes groggily to find that Rainbow Dash was still awake.

"Aren't ya ever gonna sleep, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"And miss this blissful feeling? Never. I don't want this to end."

"Well, it doesn't have to," Applejack said.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Applejack said quickly. "Ah didn't mean nothin' by it. Ah was just sayin' you don't have to worry about it endin' if you don't want it to."

"Yeah, but you know there's a problem," Rainbow Dash said.

"What problem?" Applejack asked, suddenly looking at Rainbow Dash suspiciously. It took all of Rainbow Dash's effort to keep from admitting what she had tried with Pinkie Pie.

"I'm talking about your family," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack shook her head in acknowledgment.

"Ah know they'd prefer the straight and narrow way o' things," Applejack said.

"Yeah, and we can't exactly keep this a secret forever. What'll happen when they start asking where you were all night?"

"Ah'll just say ah slept over is all. They don't have a problem with that."

"Not yet they don't, but you know what your sister was up to with her friends. Sooner or later something's going to slip."

"Yer just bein' paranoid now," Applejack said. "You really ought to relax. Is…there any way ah can help ya with that?"

"Sorry, AJ, but I'm not really in the mood now. You've already done enough as it is."

"Well, fine," Applejack said, slightly put off. "Don't say ah didn't try to help ya."

"I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash said, "but all this secrecy is really getting to me and I don't know what to do about it."

"Ah understand," Applejack said. "Maybe ah tell my folks at some point. Ah don't really know. Ah'm afraid they won't handle it well."

"You're probably right about that. You know your family well," Rainbow Dash said. "I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

"Me too, Sugarcube," Applejack said, resting her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder and wrapping her foreleg around her in an embrace. Rainbow Dash kissed Applejack's forehead and sighed to herself, feeling far less relaxed now. She hated letting stress get to her like this, especially when she considered herself so laid back. If only the world's problems could be solved by flight; Rainbow Dash knew how to do _that_ well, but she had no idea how to handle this.

"Is it still botherin' you?" Applejack asked, looking up at her lover.

"I wish it weren't," Rainbow Dash said in exasperation.

"Ah know, Sugarcube," Applejack said, and something about that pet name melted Rainbow Dash's heart. "But ya can't worry about keepin' a secret. What would Pinkie Pie do in this situation?" The last thing Rainbow Dash wanted was to be reminded of Pinkie Pie, but obviously she couldn't let Applejack know that.

"She'd probably be perfectly fine keeping this secret," Rainbow Dash said.

"Take a page outta her book then," Applejack said. "Pinkie Pie knows a thing or two about bein' all private-like, and ah reckon privacy's a little somethin' we deserve."

"When you put it that way," Rainbow Dash said, "it doesn't sound so bad."

"Exactly," Applejack said. "Does that help you feel any better?"

"It actually does," Rainbow Dash said. "Thank you, Applejack."

"No problem, Sugarcube," Applejack said.

"Don't ever stop calling me that," Rainbow Dash said in all seriousness.

"Ah won't, Sugarcube," Applejack crooned, nuzzling Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Ah won't."

"It was dreadful," Fluttershy said to her psychologist. She was in the middle of recounting a time in her childhood when her father would routinely criticize her lack of flight.

"Tell me," Doctor Shrink said, trying to avoid the strong pull he felt toward a creature so weak and vulnerable. "Why was it so hard?"

"Because he kept calling me hopeless!" Fluttershy squealed. "I didn't feel worthwhile as a pony to him. Every time I tried to take off, he would just shake his head and mutter under his breath, but I know what he was saying. Hopeless, worthless, loser. He spared no insult."

"Fluttershy, I know this is hard," Doctor Shrink said. "But I need you to try to relax. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth and see how you feel after a few moments." Fluttershy did as she was told, closing her eyes as she did so. It took all of Doctor Shrink's willpower not to check her out as she lay on the couch in front of him. After a few moments, Fluttershy was noticeably calmer.

"There you go," Doctor Shrink said. "Now, listen to me, Fluttershy. I don't care what your father told you. You are not a loser, not worthless or hopeless. You are a wonderful pony with a fantastic gift for animals, and even if you cannot fly like the other pegasi, why should that stop you from shining with your true talents? There are ponies who would beg to have the kind of compassion you have with your animals."

"There are?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm sure of it," the doctor replied.

"Oh, thank you so much for saying so, Doctor Shrink. I just hope you're right."

"I know I'm right," Doctor Shrink said. "I've been in this business for much too long, so I know this is true."

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"I don't mean to be rude, but you've been staring at me for a while now…"

"I have?" Doctor Shrink asked. "I'm terribly sorry, Fluttershy. The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable."

"It's all right," Fluttershy said. "I don't think I've ever been quite this relaxed, not for a long time." Doctor Shrink could feel the arousal in his loins and chastised himself for it. Fluttershy, however, did not notice anything amiss.

"Is our time almost up?" she asked.

"Why, it seems to be," Doctor Shrink replied, looking at the clock on the wall. "I suppose I'll see you in a few days, Fluttershy."

"Okay. Thank you so much, Doctor Shrink. I really appreciate all the help you've given me so far."

Doctor Shrink once again had to suppress his urges. "You're welcome, Fluttershy," he said. Fluttershy offered him his payment and left the office. Doctor Shrink sat down at his desk and let out a long sigh. Staring at the window, he began to debate with himself his struggling emotions.

_What am I supposed to do about this…this feeling?_ he asked himself. It wouldn't be the last time he'd ask himself that question.

Twilight awoke lying next to Big Mac, who was still asleep. Memories of the previous night titillated her, and while she didn't want to have full-fledged intercourse this morning, she felt that she was in the mood for a little fooling around. She nudged Big Mac gently on his side with her head, and the stallion groaned groggily. Twilight giggled and nudged him one more time, and this time he groaned in protest.

"Wake up, silly," Twilight said, nudging him a third time.

"Leave me alone," Big Mac mumbled.

"Oh, come on. Aren't you feeling even a little bit frisky?"

"No," Big Mac said before turning and facing Twilight. "Wait, what?"

"You aren't in the mood for a little fooling around?" Twilight asked.

"What do you mean?" Big Mac asked. Twilight giggled again and leaned close to Big Mac's ear before whispering something dirty to him.

"Oh, ah get it now," Big Mac said. "But ah reckon ah'm still tired."

"You're no fun," Twilight said. "Here I am, throwing myself at you, and you're complaining that you're too tired."

"Sorry, Twilight," Big Mac said. "Guess ah like to sleep late after you've kept me up all night."

"I didn't keep you up all night," Twilight protested.

"You sure did," Big Mac said. "Not that ah didn't enjoy it. It was a lot of fun."

"And you aren't in the mood for a little more fun?" Twilight asked.

"Well, ah will be in another few hours," Big Mac said. "Ah'm tired, Twilight."

"Come on now, Big Mac, you really ought to finish what you start," Twilight said.

"What did ah start?" Big Mac asked.

"You were the one who wanted so badly to sleep with me."

"Come now, that ain't true at all. You came on to me, if ah recall."

"Yes, but _you_ were the one who practically wanted to do me out in the fields before we even got to the library."

"Ah reckon ah was just a little bit excited when ya started talkin' dirty."

"Whatever you say," Twilight said. "I don't know why I've been trying to talk your way into messing around when I could just as easily get started without you."

"What?" Big Mac asked, but before he knew it Twilight had shifted her head close to Big Mac's member and started sucking on it. Big Mac was jolted awake in surprise at the sudden move, but as Twilight continued to work he felt utterly delightful.

"Why was ah givin' you such a hard time?" he asked Twilight. Twilight couldn't answer as her mouth was occupied. Big Mac felt his penis grow stiff with excitement. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, enjoying the sensation of Twilight's tongue on his tip. She was licking him as she sucked, and the dual sensation was incredibly erotic.

"Please don't stop what you're doing," Big Mac moaned.

"Stop what?" Twilight asked, removing her mouth from his member. Big Mac whinnied in frustration.

"I'm just kidding," Twilight said before resuming her work. Big Mac neighed pleasurably as he could feel his loins begin to tighten. He knew he was close now, and it was only a matter of time before -

Big Mac gasped as his seed flowed out of him into Twilight's mouth. The mare enthusiastically swallowed the salty substance before licking her lips and letting some of the semen drip down Big Mac's crotch. Twilight panted, trying to catch her breath, and then she planted a big kiss on Big Mac so he could taste himself. Big Mac smiled as Twilight lay next to him.

"That was incredible," he said.

"I try my hardest," Twilight said offhoof.

"That's pretty obvious," Big Mac said, "and you do a good job."

"I appreciate that," Twilight said. "Now it's your turn."

"Oh really?" Big Mac asked. Twilight nodded in anticipation, ready to feel the pleasure she had just provided for her lover.

"Hold on tight, missy," Big Mac said before plowing into Twilight's crotch clumsily with his mouth. Twilight giggled, as the feeling was quite ticklish, but she soon gasped as Big Mac lapped at her folds, moistening them with his saliva. He stuck his tongue into her opening and managed to lick at her clit. Twilight moaned as Big Mac worked her vagina, licking at it haphazardly but with gusto. It didn't take long for Twilight's legs to tighten up as she thrust into Big Mac, urging him to continue through soft whispers. Big Mac soon had her screaming for him to continue, and Twilight was thankful Spike had not been disturbed by her shrieking. Big Mac felt Twilight's juices squirt into his mouth, and he continued until Twilight was brought to an earth-shattering orgasm. Totally spent, Twilight slumped back onto the bed as Big Mac removed his tongue from her folds and gave her a kiss on the mouth.

"Mm…" Twilight said, tasting her own juices and smiling contently. "You work fast."

"Ain't that a good thing?" Big Mac asked.

"Oh, absolutely," Twilight said. "Sometimes a mare just wants to get to the point, you know? Although I don't mind going slow, either."

"You don't seem to mind much when it comes to this kind of thing."

"I am pretty open-minded," Twilight said with a wink. Big Mac shuddered excitedly at the prospect of what this sentence suggested.

"Ah reckon ah should wash up now," Big Mac said.

"Ooh, can I join you?" Twilight asked. Big Mac chuckled.

"Whatever you want, Sweet Pea," he said. Twilight crooned as she followed Big Mac into the bathroom. As Twilight filled the bathtub with hot water and soap, she gave Big Mac her most seductive glances, batting her eyelashes and smiling at him. It made Big Mac's heart melt to see his mare flash such heated looks at him.

"It seems strange, doesn't it?" Twilight asked. "Who'd have thought getting clean could still seem so dirty?"

"Hey, I ain't complainin'," Big Mac said.

"Oh, me neither. In fact, I prefer it that way."

"Twilight," Big Mac said with a sigh, "you sure know how to woo a stallion."

"I do?" Twilight asked. "I never thought I was very good at it."

"Well, ya definitely are, and don't let nopony tell you otherwise. Not that anypony else _should_ be telling you that…"

"I know what you mean," Twilight said. The tub now full, Twilight and Big Mac eased their way into the water. Once they had grown accustomed to its warmth, Twilight swam over to Big Mac and lay next to him, snuggling up against his shoulder with her head. Big Mac leaned down and gave her a saucy kiss on the mouth, his tongue exploring her parted lips and licking her teeth. Twilight moaned as she accepted the kiss, and she placed her hooves on Big Mac's shoulders, wrapping her forelegs around him.

"Why don't I scrub you down?" Twilight asked, levitating her scrubbing brush tantalizingly over Big Mac's form.

"That sounds mighty fine," Big Mac said. Twilight lovingly stroked Big Mac's fur, working to get any residual dirt and dust out of his hair. Big Mac closed his eyes and grinned as Twilight worked her magic. The feeling was one of pure relaxation, a wonderful cool down from decidedly hot foreplay in bed.

"That feels really nice," Big Mac said.

"I hope so," Twilight said, "because it's about to get better."

"How?" Big Mac asked. Twilight needed not say anything, as she started to scrub Big Mac's crotch. Big Mac moaned as the brush passed gently over his member. Twilight took care not to stroke too roughly, as she knew it would hurt if she did so. Big Mac relished the sensation in his loins.

"That feels so good…" he whispered. Twilight smiled and started to scrub his thighs, which tingled as they were brushed.

"You're a miracle worker," Big Mac said. Twilight finished scrubbing Big Mac and told him to turn around so his back was facing her.

"What are ya doin'?" Big Mac asked. His question turned to a smile as Twilight began to give him a sensuous massage, kneading his back with her hooves. Big Mac carried a lot of tension in his shoulders, and the massage was doing wonders working out the kinks in his back. The warm water and soap on Twilight's hooves only made the massage feel warmer.

"I want a massage in return from you, and not too rough. I know you don't know your own strength sometimes, Mac."

"Ah would never hurt you, Twilight," Big Mac said.

"Good," Twilight said before nipping at his ear. Big Mac shuddered with delight as Twilight started to kiss his neck. She kissed her way down his soapy back and continued to massage as well. The kisses tickled Big Mac, but he tried not to shake too much and he also stifled his laughing. Twilight was teasing him and he knew it.

"Come now, Twilight. It's mah turn to massage your back."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked.

"Positive," Big Mac said.

"All right, do your work," Twilight replied, turning around so her small back faced Big Mac's front. Big Mac dug his hooves into her upper back, which felt incredibly tense. Twilight moaned as Big Mac kneaded her back with circular strokes of his hooves. Twilight's hind leg started to twitch with stimulation as Big Mac rubbed lower and lower down her back. Feeling mischievous, Twilight flicked her tail and splashed Big Mac with some water.

"What was that for?" he asked, chuckling.

"I don't know, I just felt like it," Twilight said.

"Well, ah hope you feel like gettin' wet!" Big Mac stated. He pushed Twilight's head underwater and held her down for a few seconds. When he let go, Twilight rose from the water and gasped for air, her mane dripping water down her face.

"What was that all about?" Twilight asked in a mixture of amusement and outrage.

"For splashin' me, remember?" Big Mac asked.

"I think that's a little uncalled for," Twilight said.

"No it ain't," Big Mac said. "You splash me, ya get dunked, plain and simple."

"Well now that I know _that_, I know better than to splash you, don't I?"

"I hope ya do," Big Mac said. The two of them finished their bath with little event and rose from it. Twilight drained the bathtub as Big Mac draped a towel around her small body.

"Ah really enjoyed that, Twilight. Thank you," Big Mac said.

"Anytime," Twilight responded. "It was my pleasure."

"Ah suppose you should be checkin' up on Spike now," Big Mac said.

"I suppose I should," Twilight said before giving Big Mac a deep, passionate kiss. Big Mac pulled away after about thirty seconds and chuckled.

"You keep that up, missy, and ah'll never want to leave."

"That's the idea," Twilight said with a wink. Big Mac smiled and beckoned for Twilight to go downstairs to wake Spike up. Twilight sighed and went down the stairs.

"Do you want breakfast?" she asked Big Mac.

"Sure," Big Mac said as he followed her downstairs. Twilight found Spike in his bed and woke him up. He moaned groggily before rubbing his eyes open.

"Morning, Twilight," he said sleepily. "I think you woke me up later than usual."

"I had my reasons," Twilight said. Big Mac followed Twilight down the stairs.

"What's he still doing here?" Spike asked. "Why is he coming downstairs from your room-? Oh…"

"You were always too smart for your own good, Spike," Twilight said. "Now get to the kitchen. You and I are going to make breakfast."

"We are?" Spike asked.

"Yep, we're making breakfast for the three of us. Does that sound all right?"

"Sure. It's nice to have company around here for a change," Spike said. "It's usually just the two of us."

"Well, I think it's going to happen a lot more frequently from now on," Twilight said, giving Big Mac a wink when Spike wasn't looking.

"Sounds all right with me," Spike said. "Maybe we can talk over a few things with Big Mac here? I'm still unsure about the whole Ruby situation, and it might be nice to get a stallion's opinion on a few things."

"If that's all right with you, Big Mac, do you mind helping Spike out?"

"Not at all," Big Mac said. "Ask away, little dragon, and ah'll help as best ah can."

"Great," Spike said. "Do you want pancakes?"

"Pancakes sound wonderful," Big Mac said.

The pegasus guards had just seen what had happened to the statue of Discord and feared the worst. They decided that speaking to Princess Celestia immediately was the best course of action. They flew directly to her chambers and rapped on the door in earnest.

Celestia was in bed with her sister, feeling quite content until she heard the knocking on the door. Fearing an emergency, she rose from the bed and approached the door, opening it just a crack.

"Your Highness," one of the guards said, "we have a situation."

"What is the problem?" Celestia asked.

"Um…is it all right if we came in to talk about this? It's very serious," a second guard said.

"Why don't I step out?" Celestia suggested, and she did so when the guards nodded.

"It has to do with the statue of Discord," the first guard said. "It…it's gone."

"Impossible," Celestia said. "Who could have discovered a way to move it?"

"We fear the statue may have been more than moved," the second guard said. "We think Discord has been freed from his prison once again."

"Of course," Celestia said. "The situation is dire then. We'll need to mount a force to search for him."

"Absolutely," the first guard said. "No telling what kind of chaos he'll wreak on Equestria this time around."

"Precisely," Celestia said. "I think it prudent to tell Twilight Sparkle and her friends about this as well. We'll need them to imprison Discord once again."

"Shall I locate the courier?" the second guard asked.

"No, I'll send a letter myself," Celestia replied. "Get in touch with Shining Armor and tell him to gather his troops. The search for Discord should be his only priority right now. I'll compose the letter to Twilight and her friends."

"Affirmative, Your Highness," the first guard said, offering a salute which the second guard quickly mirrored.

"Get going," Celestia said, and she returned to her room and shut the door as the guards departed. Celestia noticed her sister had awoken from all the commotion, and she seemed quite distraught.

"What's going on, sister?" Luna asked. Celestia wasted no time in levitating over a quill, ink, and parchment.

"Discord has been released again," Celestia said. "We need to find and contain him as soon as possible, or he'll wreak all sorts of chaos over this kingdom."

"That sounds dreadful," Luna said. "Is there anything I can do to assist you?"

"The guards are already forging a battalion to search for the god of chaos, and I am writing a letter to Twilight Sparkle explaining the situation. I think that's all we can do for now."

"Oh, all right," Luna said. "I was just hoping I could be of some help."

"I wish you could," Celestia said, "but we both know your history with Discord and I can't risk anything like that happening again."

"I'm offended that you would bring that up, of all things," Luna said.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take any chances," Celestia replied as she started to pen the letter.

"I think I understand," Luna responded.

"Thank you," Celestia said.

"So what is our plan going to be?" Chrysalis asked Discord. The two had been holding out for some time now in the cave, trying to plot a way to bring about the downfall of Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

"We need more information, as I've said countless times," Discord said. "Chaos might be my specialty, but chaos does not imply randomness. We need a calculating plan to outwit those bothersome ponies."

"And how, do tell, are we going to get such information?" Chrysalis asked.

"Through you, of course," Discord said. "I'll need you to disguise yourself as a common villager, that way you can sneak into Ponyville undetected. From there, observe the behavior of Twilight and her friends, and we may discover weaknesses that we can exploit."

"That sounds like a good plan," Chrysalis said.

"I'm glad you agree," Discord responded. "Now, let's get to work on your disguise." Chrysalis nodded and transformed before Discord's eyes. He looked at the resulting pony, who was brown and weary-eyed and somehow covered in dirt.

"Too unkempt," Discord said. "This isn't the feudal ages. Try something a little more up-to-date." Chrysalis nodded and transformed once again. This time, she was the image of royalty, with bright white hair and a dazzling tail that curled about itself gracefully.

"You make Rarity look like a commoner," Discord said. "That might fly in Canterlot, but there's no way your average Ponyville pony looks like that. Try again." Chrysalis, now a little annoyed, transformed one last time. The resulting pony was yellow with a red mane and tail that had little shape. Discord shook his head, not even bothering to say anything this time.

Over and over again, Chrysalis tried new disguises that Discord continually disproved of. Fed up, Chrysalis returned to her natural appearance and sulked in the corner of the cave.

"What's wrong, Chrysalis?" Discord asked.

"Nothing is ever good enough for you," Chrysalis said.

"Oh, come now," Discord replied. "That's hardly the way to go about this. All you need to do is try a little more. How badly do you want to rule Equestria? We only have one shot at this, and we need to get it right. Keep trying." Chrysalis sighed and transformed once again. The resulting pony was a pale shade of pink with a pale blue mane that curled upwards. The tail was the same pale blue and of a wavy shape. Discord began to applaud when he saw her form.

"Excellent work. I knew you'd eventually get it right."

"Really? This looks acceptable?" Chrysalis asked.

"It's perfect," Discord said. "Now we can head out for Ponyville and start spying on those bothersome ponies. Our plan is coming together ever so smoothly."

"That's wonderful to hear, Discord. I can't wait to bring those ponies down!"

"Me neither, Chrysalis. Me neither."


	23. A Mare Possessed

**Chapter 23: A Mare Possessed**

"What's bothering you, Spike?" Ruby asked. The two of them were stargazing out in the park. The night was growing long, and Spike had been moody and distant ever since picking Ruby up from the hotel.

"Nothing," Spike said.

"It doesn't seem like nothing to me," Ruby said accusingly. She was getting quite irritated with Spike's refusal to talk. She wanted him to be able to open up to her, but there was a barrier there she just couldn't seem to crack.

"Well, it really is nothing," Spike said, now irritated with her for pressing an issue he really didn't want to begin to discuss. The memories of that night still flashed in his mind when he slept, and every thought of Rarity was accompanied by a squirming in his stomach that made him feel nauseated. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of her.

"Spike, baby, I–"

"Baby?" Spike asked. "Don't think you've ever called me that before."

"I don't mean it like that," Ruby said. "I'm just saying that it really hurts me to think you don't want to open up. I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah, of course," Spike said. _And I was supposed to be able to trust Rarity, but look where _that_ got me._

"So can you _please_ tell me what's wrong so I can try to make you feel better?" Ruby asked.

"Forget it, it's too painful," Spike said, and even that little bit made him feel he said too much.

"Painful? All the more reason you should be talking about it and not shoving it all in!" Ruby cried.

"I didn't mean that. It's not that bad," Spike lied.

"You did mean it, I know you did."

"Can you get off my case? Geez, Ruby, you're as bad as Twilight. This nagging is really getting old."

"I have every right to nag when my baby's hurting. I want to know what's wrong and you're going to tell me right now!"

"Well, now what's wrong is your nagging."

"Don't be mean," Ruby said.

"You're right, that was out of line. I'm sorry."

"I won't accept your apology until you tell me what's wrong."

"Look, I'm having a hard time with a friend of mine, okay? It's kind of personal."

"Well, I hate to be such a _nag_, but if there's a problem with one of your friends, I want to know about it so I can help. Which friend are you having a hard time with? Is it Twilight?"

"It's not Twilight, and playing a guessing game isn't going to help you figure it out because I'll just say no every time."

"So it's not Rainbow Dash?"

"No."

"Applejack?"

"Definitely not."

"Rarity?"

"Um…no."

"You hesitated. It must be Rarity. What happened? I thought you really liked her. Not that I hope you still like her. That just wouldn't be okay."

"I get your point," Spike said. "And the problem is really between Rarity and I, so I'd really appreciate it if you just dropped the whole thing."

"Spike, you must not know me very well. I refuse to drop it because I know it's upsetting you and I want to make you feel better."

"I don't think you can make this any better, Ruby. If you knew what happened, you'd know how helpless the situation really is."

"Don't be so glum about it," Ruby said. "It can't have been that bad."

"You don't even know what you're talking about," Spike said. "If it wasn't so bad, I would just tell you straight up what happened."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to belittle your problems." Ruby tried to touch Spike's cheek with her hand, but Spike pulled away and started to sulk. Ruby felt a burst of anger shoot up her spine despite herself. It wasn't like Spike to be so secluded, and the more secretive he became, the worse her imagination ran.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" Ruby asked.

"I'm positive," Spike said.

"Then I'll leave it alone," Ruby said, "but don't think this is over. I'm still going to find out what's wrong eventually."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Spike said, and for the first time in a while a small smirk crept up his face.

"Don't start mocking me!" Ruby said, slapping Spike affectionately on the arm and chuckling.

"Ow, don't hit me," Spike said, laughing alongside his girlfriend.

"What are you going to do about it?" Ruby asked.

"I'll hit you harder," Spike said.

"You can't hit a lady! Surely Twilight taught you _that_."

"Twilight doesn't care if I hit her."

"That's a lie," Ruby said.

"Oh, is it now? Maybe we should go back to the library and ask her."

"No way. I want to enjoy this gorgeous night sky," Ruby said.

"Twilight has a telescope in her library. You can really see the stars through that thing."

"That's a little too scientific for me," Ruby said. "I prefer the naked eye for this kind of thing."

"You'd change your mind after one look through that telescope, I guarantee it," Spike said. The two of them sat in silence watching the stars glimmer in the dark sky. Spike glanced over at the moon, and its brightness showed that Luna had outdone herself tonight.

"Do you still have a thing for Rarity?" Ruby asked. Her eyes began to quiver as she looked directly at Spike. Spike swallowed, knowing how important this question was to her.

"No," Spike said. The disgust he had for that pony far outweighed any feelings of attraction that remained.

"Do you have feelings about anyone else?" Ruby asked.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Spike said, sneering.

"Don't! I'm serious," Ruby said.

"Come on, I'm just teasing," Spike said.

"Well I don't think it's very funny," Ruby said, and it was her turn to turn away and sulk. Spike sidled up next to her and wrapped his arm around her stomach.

"You're the only one I really care about," Spike said, making Ruby tremble with the weight of his words. "I mean it."

"I know you do. I just get scared sometimes. When you won't tell me what's going on, sometimes I think you're sneaking around behind my back. I'm sorry; I have a tendency to get jealous and paranoid about these kinds of things."

"I know, and it was wrong of me to kid around with you like that," Spike said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Ruby said, and a tear shed down her cheek. "It means a lot to me to hear you say that."

"That I care about you?" Spike asked. Ruby nodded and cuddled close to Spike's form.

"You know, I could fall asleep like this," Ruby said.

"You're so right," Spike said, "but it's not really a good idea."

"Oh, you're no fun," Ruby said. "Why not?"

"Who knows? The Ursa Major might be lurking about."

"I thought that was a myth," Ruby said.

"Ask Twilight. She tamed an Ursa Minor once. It was ridiculously cool."

"You've known Twilight your whole life, right Spike?"

"Of course. She practically mothered me when I was just a baby."

"You don't sometimes have feelings for her, do you?"

"Um…" To be honest, this was a tough question for Spike to answer. Until he had met Rarity, he couldn't say he didn't have some feelings for the purple unicorn, but they had a tricky relationship. Spike could still remember the one time he caught Twilight feeling herself and was surprised to feel how turned on he was at the sight of it. Even while Twilight was shouting at him to knock before he entered her room, the memory of his arousal remained pristine.

"I used to, but not anymore," Spike said, feeling that it was a fair compromise, although it was a bit untrue. After all, he'd known Twilight for so long, and with the sour feelings towards Rarity, it was hard not to think of his closest friend in that light every so often.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

"Positive," Spike said.

"Good," Ruby said. "I'm happy."

"You're welcome," Spike said. The two of them lay beneath the night sky for a moment longer. Far too soon, the time came for the evening to end. Bugs were flying around them, and Spike didn't want to get stung, so reluctantly he rose to his feet and helped Ruby onto her's.

"I think it's time to bring you back to the hotel," he said. Ruby nodded and let Spike lead the way as he draped an arm across her shoulder and the two walked side by side. They chatted idly about the residents of Ponyville, particularly the Cutie Mark Crusaders and how nosy they'd been lately. All too soon, though, they reached the hotel and it was time to say goodbye for now.

"See you, Ruby," Spike said.

"Goodbye, Spike," Ruby said. What happened next felt so natural it was almost like it was meant to be. The two of them shared a soft, warm kiss which was so tender it lifted the two dragons as if they were floating on air. Embracing each other, they settled deeper into the kiss, and Spike could feel a warmness stir in his belly at the proximity of Ruby. When they parted lips, Spike looked into Ruby's eyes, and she turned away and blushed.

"I'll see you soon, Ruby. Don't worry."

"I know you will. And Spike…?"

"Yes?" Ruby hesitated, but then smiled sheepishly.

"Good night, Spike," she said before entering the hotel door.

As Spike made to return to the library, the feeling of elation from Ruby's kiss slowly ebbed and a gnawing feeling in his stomach quickly replaced it. It was hard to know what he thought of her now, and what he thought of his own situation with Rarity. It was this uncertainty concerning Rarity that was causing the unpleasant feeling in his stomach, and Spike grew angry that it was now robbing him of intimacy with Ruby. When he got about halfway to the library, Spike changed directions and started to walk towards the Carousel Boutique. He didn't care how late it was; this needed to be settled right now.

When he arrived at the boutique's front door, Spike made to knock, but he hesitated. It really wouldn't blow over well to disturb Rarity's sleep to say…what exactly was he going to say? Spike hadn't thought it out clearly, and he was just beginning to consider leaving when the door opened and he saw Rarity standing in the threshold. Tension spiked within Spike's stomach as he looked upon her. Something about her tired, ragged form seemed so naturally stunning that…_stunning_? Spike couldn't believe he could still think that way about her, but he was now distracting himself.

"What are you doing here, Spike?" Rarity asked, and Spike could sense the timidity in her voice. Clearly this wasn't comfortable for her either.

"I…don't really know," Spike said. "Can I come inside?" Rarity stared at Spike for a long minute.

"I suppose…" she said, inviting him into the boutique and turning on a light so they could see. Spike took a chair opposite Rarity, and the two of them sat and stared at each other awkwardly.

"Well…" Spike said, "I guess I came here to confront you, but I don't really know how to go about it."

"Spike, believe me, I understand your position and–"

"Really? You have no clue how I'm feeling right now!" Spike said in anger. Rarity winced, and her tender appearance instantly melted Spike's anger in spite of himself.

"Look, I'm sorry," Spike said. "I didn't mean to lash out like that."

"Why…are you apologizing?" Rarity asked.

"Good point," Spike said. "You're the one who should be apologizing to me!"

"Spike, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am and how sorely I regret what happened that night. I know nothing I can say can make the pain go away, believe me, I've been trying to talk my way out of feeling guilty ever since it happened."

"Talk your way out of feeling guilty? You should be feeling guilty!" Spike yelled, but Rarity winced again and once again Spike's anger ebbed. This wasn't how it was supposed to work, was it?

"Oh, that's not what I meant at all!" Rarity cried, tears slowly forming in her eyes. "It's just been gnawing away at me for nights. I haven't been able to sleep at all, Spike."

"What makes you think this is about you?" Spike asked. "You're not the one who was raped."

"Oh, for Celestia's sake, can we not use that word?" Rarity asked.

"Why not? That's what happened. There's no way around that," Spike said.

"Spike, seriously, tell me you hadn't been fantasizing about it since the moment you met me."

"Are you saying I was _asking_ for it?" Spike asked, appalled at Rarity's behavior. Now the anger was coming more naturally. This was not how he expected her to react to such a vile crime. "You've got some serious nerve, lady!"

"What is _wrong_ with me?" Rarity asked, tears now streaming down her face.

"That's a good question. Beats me!" Spike said. "Obviously _something_ isn't right. Why'd you even do it, anyway?"

"You really don't want to know, Spike," Rarity said.

"Why not? You've already damaged me enough. At least let me know why."

"I can't tell you. I'm terribly sorry, Spike, but I can't tell you."

"Don't you think I deserve to know? After all you did to me, the least you can do is to help me understand where you were coming from."

"Spike, sometimes it's better to leave these things unsaid."

"Easy for you to say," Spike said, but he remembered his own refusal to explain his sullen mood to Ruby, and realized Rarity was doing the same thing here.

"Spike, believe me when I say it had nothing to do with you," Rarity said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Spike asked. "Of course it had to do with me, or you wouldn't have done it."

"Oh, I can't keep it from you any longer. The guilt is tearing me apart from the inside," Rarity said.

"Again with the self-pity, but go ahead," Spike said.

"I was trying to get revenge…" Rarity said.

"On whom?" Spike asked.

"Not you, that is certain. It…was incredibly wrong of me to use you like that, when it was never about you."

"Well then who was it about?" Spike asked.

"I thought I was ready to tell you, Spike," Rarity said, "but I'm afraid I can't."

"Quit beating around the bush!" Spike said. "Either tell me or don't tell me!"

"I won't."

"Fine!" Spike yelled, and the two looked at each other in awkward silence, tears still falling down Rarity's cheeks. The more Spike looked at her, the more he regrettably felt pity for her. Unlike what he thought, Rarity clearly did not have her act together, and the mess she had made of their relationship seemed too dauntingly large to clean up. But the pain wouldn't go away until something was resolved, and that was the real reason Spike had decided to come. He wanted to resolve his pain so he could move on with his life, and knowing Ruby now, Spike could envision something onto which he could move.

"Look Rarity," Spike said, "I don't know why you did what you did, but I didn't come here to yell at you. I was hoping for some closure, because we're both clearly feeling a lot of pain here."

"Spike, I would give anything to take it all back, you know I would. How could I have been so selfish?"

"I know you wish you could take it all back," Spike said, "and I wish I could just erase the whole thing. I guess I need to know that you're really sorry."

"Spike, I'll do anything to make it up to you. Just name it," Rarity said.

"It doesn't work like that, I don't think," Spike said. "But I don't think we can ever reconcile what happened, and something tells me we can't be friends anymore."

"Spike, it would make me truly miserable to think I've lost a friend due to my selfishness," Rarity said. "I love you, and I know you won't believe me when I say it, because how could anyone who loves you do such a thing to you? You're one of my closest friends, and it would be a shame to lose everything because of my mistakes."

"Rarity, I don't think there's anything we can do. I should probably go now." Spike rose from his chair and started to walk to the door. He stopped, realizing he had something left to say, the reason he felt a gnawing pain in his stomach.

"You know why it really hurts?" Spike asked, turning to face Rarity. She started to quiver in her chair.

"Why, Spike?" she asked, not ready for the answer.

"I still have feelings for you," Spike said, and he started to cry. Rarity didn't know what to say or do. That he could still care about her after everything she'd put him through seemed like far too much, and Spike's confused feelings were clearly overwhelming him. She wanted nothing more than to give him a hug, but did not want to approach him for fear of frightening him. In a surprising move, however, Spike approached Rarity and hugged her, now bawling his eyes out. Rarity embraced him and started to stroke his back, unsure of what else to do or say.

"I'm so pathetic," Spike said, sniffling. "I mean, how can I say that after what you put me through?"

"I'm sure it's very confusing," Rarity said. "To be frank, I don't understand it either."

"I wish I could understand it," Spike said through his tears. "You know I kissed Ruby tonight, and it felt wonderful? Then I couldn't get you out of my head, so I came here to talk and…I didn't know I still felt this way…"

"Spike, I don't know what to say…" Rarity said. It felt so wrong to be comforting him like this, especially when she was the one who had made him so distraught in the first place. But here she was, hugging the dragon she raped, trying to tell him it was going to be okay.

Rarity was shocked when Spike planted a kiss on her lips. She immediately pulled away and shoved Spike onto the floor. He lay there, still crying, mucus spreading from his nose.

"I think you need to leave now," Rarity said.

"I don't want to…" Spike said. "I love you, Rarity."

"You don't know what you're saying. Go home and go to sleep. You'll be more clear-headed in the morning."

"I guess you're right," Spike said, but he didn't make any move to leave.

"Go now. Just go," Rarity said, shooing him away as if he were a bothersome fly. Finally, Spike rose and slowly walked to the door. He took one last look at Rarity, who motioned for him to leave. Spike opened the door and walked out.

_What just happened?_ Spike was even more confused now than he had been when he walked into the boutique. Obviously, trying to come to some sort of closure with Rarity had completely backfired, and the situation was so confusing now it was difficult for Spike's brain to process his emotions. Clearly the time for secrecy was over. He needed to talk to Twilight about this or it was going to eat him alive.

Almost as if on cue, Spike belched a letter from Princess Celestia. He didn't know why the princess was writing, but right now he didn't care either. Dealing with his situation was at the forefront of his mind right now. He carried the letter with him to the library and placed it next to his bed before walking upstairs. He was surprised when he bumped into a magical barrier as he climbed to Twilight's room. Awkwardly, he tried knocking on the barrier, but it absorbed all the sound so all he could hear was a muffled noise.

_Really?_ Spike thought. This _is the night you needed your privacy?_ Spike didn't know how he was going to reach Twilight now, but he knew it was imperative to speak to her. He decided that maybe if he made enough noise, Twilight would be spurred outside her room to find out what was going on.

Spike went into the kitchen and gathered some pots and pans. He walked back up the stairs to Twilight's room and started banging the pots and pans into each other and against the wall. That did the trick. Twilight, her mane frazzled, stormed out of her room and lowered the magical barrier.

"What are you doing, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"I really needed to talk to you," Spike said. His curiosity led him to look behind Twilight into her bedroom, where he could see a mass underneath Twilight's blanket.

"Who's that in the room with you?" Spike asked. Twilight used her magic to quickly shut the door.

"It's not important," Twilight said. "What's wrong?"

"Well, you know how I've been all moody lately?" Spike asked.

"Uh-huh, you said you were nervous about where things were headed with Ruby."

"Well, that wasn't true at all," Spike said.

"I thought not, but I could tell you didn't really want to talk about it," Twilight said.

"Well, I'm ready to talk now," Spike said.

"Okay, so what's up?" Twilight asked.

"It…has to do with Rarity," Spike said.

"Um…okay? I thought you were done being hung up on her," Twilight said.

"Well…not exactly. She…she did something that wasn't okay at all, and she wouldn't tell me why."

"What did she do?" Twilight asked, growing nervous and concerned.

"Rarity, she…" Spike said before mumbling something to himself.

"I can't hear you, Spike," Twilight said.

"Well, this might deserve some explanation," Spike said. "The night you went out with Big Macintosh, I came into the library and saw Rarity lying on the couch. She was really upset."

"Rarity was still here after we left?" Twilight asked.

"Apparently," Spike said. "Anyway, maybe it was my fault for egging her on, but I was still confused about how I felt about Ruby and I kind of admitted I had feelings for her."

"So? You do that all the time. I mean, sorry, Spike, but you make it kind of obvious. So what, did she turn you down again?"

"That's just it, Twilight. She did the opposite."

"What?" Twilight asked.

"Rarity started coming on to me…"

"That's strange. You must have been excited though."

"No, I wasn't. I always thought it would be some fantasy in my head and that's how it was going to remain, so I knew she wasn't really feeling well and I told her to leave, but then she…she…"

"What did she do?" Twilight asked, feeling like she knew the answer but too scared to admit it to herself.

"Well, she forced herself on me," Spike said.

"Meaning…?"

"She raped me Twilight."

Dead silence filled the space between Twilight and Spike. This had been the answer Twilight had feared, and to hear it come out of Spike's mouth was unreal. Slowly, though, the shock ebbed and was replaced by a furious anger at her friend.

"She raped you?" Twilight yelled. "She…Big Mac!"

"What?" Big Mac groaned. Apparently he had been asleep.

"We're going to Rarity's right now!"

"Don't ya realize how late it is?" Big Mac asked.

"There's no time to explain. Spike's just told me something serious and it needs to be addressed right now."

"What are ya talkin' about?"

"You'll find out when we get there. Now let's move!"

"Twilight, I don't think it's a good idea to confront her."

"Spike, this is far too serious to just let go."

"You don't even know the whole story."

"I know enough! That bitch is going to pay for what she did to you." If Spike hadn't known how serious Twilight was about this, he certainly knew now. Twilight would never call a friend of her's by that name unless she was supremely pissed. When Twilight dragged Big Mac out of the bed and stormed out of the library with him, she was like a mare possessed. Spike couldn't bear to wait to find out what happened, so he followed her out the door of the library. Surprisingly, Twilight didn't object.

"What are you going to say to her?" Spike asked.

"Exactly what's on my mind," Twilight said as she stormed down the road leading into the village.

"And what is that?" Big Mac asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Twilight said.

In almost no time at all, it seemed, the three of them had arrived in front of the Carousel Boutique. Shockingly to Spike, Twilight went up to the door and rapped on it with her hoof. Spike had expected her to break the door down, but Twilight still apparently had some reserve about her. It wasn't long before an unsuspecting Rarity opened the door, and when she did and saw the look on Twilight's face, she knew instantly what had happened.

"Rarity," Twilight said sternly, "we need to talk."


	24. Sneaking into My Heart

**Chapter 24: Sneaking into My Heart**

"Twilight, you do realize how late this is, don't you?" Rarity asked, hoping that would be sufficient to keep the obviously irate mare from tearing her limb from limb. For Rarity knew exactly what was pissing Twilight off, and the presence of Spike all but confirmed it. _But why is Big Macintosh here?_ she thought.

"Don't test me Rarity. I'm very close to the edge, and you don't want to see me pushed."

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"Spike, this isn't open for discussion. I brought you here so we can resolve what happened, because in spite of all that has happened I don't want to see your friendship with Rarity ruined over this."

"That's mighty noble o' you, Twilight," Big Mac said, "but ah still don't know why we're here."

"Rarity, she…" Twilight started, but couldn't bear to name the crime aloud. The mere thought of it was still too painful.

"Never mind. Ah'll find out soon enough, ah suppose," Big Mac said.

"Um, okay," Twilight said. "Now, I think it best if we all found a place to sit down." Rarity led the other three to some chairs and they all sat, Rarity seated across from Twilight, Spike, and Big Mac.

"Care to explain to Big Mac what happened to Spike, Rarity?" Twilight asked.

"I still don't understand why he has to be here for this," Rarity said. Twilight sighed, her patience wearing even thinner.

"He's here to keep me from doing something I'll regret," Twilight said darkly.

"Big Mac," Rarity said, trying not to imagine what regrettable action Twilight might take. "I, well…I forced myself on Spike, um…sexually."

"You did what now?" Big Mac asked, his voice rolling with anger. This scared Rarity even more than Twilight did.

"I…oh, I can't believe myself…I raped Spike," Rarity said, seared with pain at her confession.

"And why aren't we calling the police?" Big Mac asked Twilight.

"Big Mac, I don't know if you know anything about their history," Twilight said. "The situation is decidedly more complex, and as much as I loathe Rarity's decision, I don't want to see her in jail."

"But she committed a crime!" Big Mac yelled, causing Rarity to jump with fright.

"Please, Big Mac," Twilight said. "I brought you here to calm me down, not the other way around."

"Maybe I can better explain what happened," Spike said. "Then you might understand, Big Mac." Big Mac was breathing heavy from his outburst, but he sighed deeply.

"Ah suppose ah should hear all the facts…" he said.

"Okay," Spike began, "so I walked into the library the other night to find Rarity sobbing uncontrollably on the couch. I'm…not sure what she was doing there by herself."

"It was the night you took me out on our first date," Twilight explained to Big Mac.

"Gotcha," Big Mac said.

"Oh, so that's what it was," Spike said. "Okay, anyway, I of course wanted to know what was wrong. I don't think Rarity actually ever told me. We talked about my date with Ruby, a dragon I met while I was away, and I admitted that I didn't feel the same way about Ruby as I did about Rarity."

"So, you really like Rarity?" Big Mac asked.

"Well, um…yes, I guess I still do…" Spike said, blushing. Rarity's heart just about broke to hear him say that. _After all I did to him…_ she thought.

"So what happened after that?" Big Mac asked.

"Well, Rarity started asking if there was anything she could do for me. She started really pushing herself onto me, and part of me was excited but something else told me Rarity wasn't feeling quite right and that I shouldn't let her do what she was about to do to me. I told her to leave, and well…um, well, she didn't."

"And that's when…" Big Mac said.

"Yep," Spike replied dully.

"So now we're here," Twilight said, "and, well, to be frank, I don't know what I expect to happen here, but I guess first I think you owe Spike an apology."

Rarity jumped at the chance to express her remorse. "Spike, you have no idea how sorry I am for what I did to you. I took advantage of you and stole your innocence, and I know nothing I can do will ever repair the damage I've done to our friendship."

"Thank you, Rarity, but as you know, there's still a problem we haven't talked about…" Spike said.

"What happened?" Twilight asked.

"I came over to Rarity's house tonight to talk to her about this, and I told her I still loved her and I…well, I kissed her."

"Spike! Why?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know!" Spike cried, and it looked as though tears were beginning to form in his eyes. "It was just an urge that came over me," he said.

"This just makes things even more confusing…" Twilight lamented.

"So let me get this straight," Big Mac said. "Rarity raped you, and yet you kissed her and told her you still loved her? How does that work?"

"I don't get it…" Spike groaned. "The last couple of days have been so confusing." The four of them sat uncomfortably for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to say and failing. Twilight glared at Rarity, who gulped nervously every time she cast her eye in Twilight's direction. Big Mac closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Spike sobbed quietly and was looking at the floor, wrapped up in a fetal position.

"Rarity, I guess I do have something to ask of you," Twilight said. "Why did you do this to Spike?"

"Oh, Twilight, I fear going into the details given the presence of Spike and Big Mac. How much do they know about what was going on between us?"

"Wait a second," Big Mac said. "What is she talkin' about?"

"Oh, dear Celestia…" Twilight groaned, thinking she knew now to what Rarity was referring. If _that_ was the reason behind her abhorrent behavior, then they really had some patching up to do. "Maybe it's best if you don't say anything," Twilight said.

"Come now, Twilight, I think Spike deserves the truth at the very least. And you can't lie to Big Mac. I assume you've told him nothing."

"Where do you get off making _me_ look like the bad guy?" Twilight asked, a fit of anger returning after hearing Rarity's accusatory words.

"Fine, if you won't say anything, I will," Rarity said.

"Don't you dare!" Twilight said.

"Before she decided to go out with _you_, Big Mac, Twilight and I were sharing a very personal relationship. And before you ask, yes, that means we were having sex."

"You were having…_what_?" Big Mac asked, utterly shocked at the idea.

"What is she talking about, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"It all started at that slumber party all those nights ago," Rarity said, "and it simply escalated from there. Well, I guess I was no longer satisfying you, Twilight, and you decided to move on to…well, bigger things. I suppose you're the only one who can judge if he's better."

"Rarity, it's not like that—" Twilight started.

"It burned me quite deeply to know that Twilight had just unceremoniously tossed me aside like I was garbage, and when I saw Spike I saw a chance at revenge."

"Revenge?" Spike asked, utterly outraged.

"Yes, and though I am loathe to admit it, that was what was going through my mind when I forced myself upon you."

"You're unbelievable," Spike said. "Are you hearing this Twilight?"

"I am so utterly surprised, I can't even fathom it," Twilight said. "You did this for _revenge_? Because you thought I just threw you aside? Are you sure you understood what was going on?"

"I thought we were in a deeply passionate relationship, but I guess to you I was just some fling," Rarity said haughtily.

"Twilight, is Rarity tellin' the truth? Did you just throw her away like that for me?"

"It wasn't like that, I…" Twilight started, but she sighed deeply. "I guess I was a terrible friend. I'm so sorry, Rarity."

"I appreciate your attempt at an apology," Rarity said, "but after what I did, I should think no apology would be necessary. I completely overreacted, I admit it. Spike, it must pain you so much to know that I am in love with your caretaker Twilight, but unfortunately that is the truth." Twilight turned away in shame. She had no idea Rarity had felt anything of the sort, and it felt like her world was crashing down around her.

"Rarity, I don't know if there's any way for me to make it up to you, but again, I'm terribly sorry for what I did," Twilight said.

"Believe me, Twilight, you aren't as sorry as I am," Rarity said.

"I'm sorry, too," Spike said.

"For what?" Twilight asked.

"For being so pathetic. I can't believe I said I still loved Rarity after what she did to me."

"Spike, that's not pathetic," Twilight said. "If I had to venture a guess, I'd say it was your way of trying to get control back after feeling completely out of control when Rarity forced herself on you."

"Wow," Spike said, "you know, that kind of makes sense, actually."

"Eeyup," Big Mac said, "and ah feel sorry for the lot o' ya."

"Don't be brash, Big Mac," Twilight said.

"If only there was some way to reconcile how I felt about you, Twilight," Rarity said.

"I wish there could be, too, but I'm dating Big Mac now and I really do care for him," Twilight said. There was a long silence.

"Threesome," Big Mac said. Twilight, Rarity, and Spike all stared at him incredulously.

"Nope? Sorry ah said anythin'," Big Mac said.

"Well, I think it's time for us to get going," Twilight said. "See you, Rarity."

"Goodbye, Twilight," Rarity said. Twilight, Big Mac, and Spike all walked out the door.

"Oh, Twilight," Spike said as they began walking back to the library. "I got a letter from Princess Celestia, but I put it aside because I needed to talk to you."

"You did? This late at night? It must be urgent. You need to show it to me as soon as we get home," Twilight said.

"I will," Spike said. When the three of them returned to the library, Spike showed Twilight the letter, which she read aloud.

"Dear Twilight Sparkle," she said, "I regret to inform you that the statue of Discord has been broken, and we fear that Discord has been freed. We are currently searching for him, but have no clues as to his whereabouts. When we do find him, however, we'll need the Elements of Harmony to come together to defeat him once again. In the meanwhile, I want you to be wary of everything around you. You never know what kind of sinister plan Discord may have in store for you, so keep your guard up. Continue to write to me regularly, especially if you see anything suspicious come up. Thank you. Sincerely, Princess Celestia…this is bad," Twilight said.

"Isn't Discord that guy that caused all of Equestria to be turned upside its head?" Big Mac asked.

"Yes," Twilight said, "and he was able to brainwash my friends and I and nearly cost us our friendship. He's not to be taken lightly."

"Is there anything we can do about this?" Spike asked.

"I don't think there's anything we can do right now except do as the princess suggested and keep our guards up."

"I wish we could do more about it, but frankly I'm too tired to think about it right now," Spike said. "I guess I'll see you two in the morning."

"Good night, Spike," Twilight said before following Big Mac up the stairs to her room. They shut the door and climbed into bed together, but neither of them felt like fooling around.

"Do ya forgive her?" Big Mac asked.

"I don't know, Big Mac," Twilight said after thinking about it. "What she did was so heinous, and yet I couldn't bear to lose a friend over this. Part of me hates her for what she did, but a part of me loves her friendship. She's been there for me a lot, and I can't believe she could do something like this to Spike. It's all so confusing…"

"Ah reckon ah get what ya mean, Twilight," Big Mac said, "although ah've never seen anythin' like it happen before."

"I think Spike's right. Maybe I need to sleep on it to really figure it out."

"Okay. Good night, Twilight."

"Good night, Big Mac," Twilight said.

"Morning, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie said chirpily passing Rainbow Dash by on the street.

"Hi, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said.

"What are you up to?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Not much. I don't go on weather patrol until this afternoon, so I'm just chilling, I guess."

"Why aren't you with Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Oh, she's real busy on the farm today," Rainbow Dash said. "Getting ready for the harvest takes a lot of work."

"Oh, okay, I wouldn't know anything about that," Pinkie Pie said.

"Me neither," Rainbow Dash said.

"So, are you and Applejack still doing okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, Applejack and I are just great. We're really getting along right now. I'm so glad I started dating her," Rainbow Dash said.

"So our little encounter didn't become a problem…?" Pinkie Pie asked in a hushed tone.

"Why are you bringing that up? I thought we said we wouldn't talk about that!" Rainbow Dash hissed.

"I'm just making sure everything's okay. I don't want what happened to ruin your happiness."

"I think it's best just to leave it alone," Rainbow Dash said.

"Okie-dokie-lokie," Pinkie Pie said. "Well, I've got to run. I'm picking up some flour for Sugarcube Corner. See you later, Dashie!"

"Bye, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said. When Pinkie Pie had left, she rolled her eyes. _What am I going to do with that mare?_ she thought.

Unbeknownst to both of them, a certain mare with pink hair and a light blue mane and tail had overheard their conversation, and she was eager to learn more about a secret that might tear Rainbow Dash from Applejack, whatever that secret was. She went into an alley out of sight of the other ponies and teleported away, returning to the cave where Discord laid waiting.

"Excellent news, Discord," Chrysalis said. "I've just discovered something that might drive a few of the Elements of Harmony apart."

"Do tell," Discord said.

"It seems, first of all, that Rainbow Dash and Applejack are dating," Chrysalis said.

"Ew, really? I wouldn't have pictured those two hooking up," Discord said.

"Yes, but what's better, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had what Pinkie Pie called a 'little encounter' that, if revealed, may become a problem for those two."

"And what did that encounter entail?" Discord asked.

"That I couldn't figure out," Chrysalis said.

"Hmm, it might be time we took that obnoxiously bubbly pony and made her tell us what she meant…"

"How are we going to get away with that?" Chrysalis asked.

"I'll do the kidnapping if you'll pose for her," Discord said. "With you playing the part of Pinkie Pie, nopony will suspect she's gone missing."

"Ingenious," Chrysalis said. "I like the way you think."

"I do, too," Discord said.

"Girls, ah've been thinkin' long and hard about this," Applebloom said to her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo while they were hanging out in the tree house.

"Thinking about what, Applebloom?" Scootaloo asked.

"About how Applejack's datin' Rainbow Dash and all," she said. "Ah'm wonderin' if I should tell Grannie Smith and Big Mac about it. Ah mean, wouldn't they want to know?"

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Sweetie Belle said.

"Why not?" Applebloom asked.

"Because," Sweetie Belle said, "if Applejack wanted them to know, wouldn't she have already told them by now? She's keeping it a secret for a reason."

"Yeah? Well, ah'm tired o' secrets! Ah don't think it's right for Applejack to hide her relationship from us! Ah mean, what harm's it gonna do to tell them?"

"You don't know, Applebloom. Maybe it won't blow over so well," Scootaloo said.

"Well, that ain't fair," Applebloom said, crossing her forelegs and pouting.

"Look, Applebloom, I know you think you're trying to be helpful," Sweetie Belle said, "but maybe we should just leave it alone now. We've already snooped long enough, don't you think?"

"Yeah, we found out way more than we should have," Scootaloo said, "and I kind of just want to forget about the whole thing."

"When did you girls get so _borin'_?" Applebloom asked.

"Don't call us boring!" Scootaloo said. "We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders. We do all kinds of exciting things."

"Most of which get us into trouble!" Sweetie Belle added.

"Ah suppose yer right. Ah don't want more trouble…" Applebloom said.

"That's the spirit, Applebloom," Scootaloo said. "From now on, we're going to be good, right, Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle nodded her assent.

"Okay," Applebloom said. "Ah just hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the butt…"

"Why would it?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"What if Grannie Smith or Big Mac finds out about it and they get mad at me for not telling them sooner?" Applebloom asked. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo turned to each other, unsure of how to answer.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, wouldn't they have found out by now?" Scootaloo asked.

"Who knows…?" Applebloom asked, unsure of what to say.

"Well, like we said, it's best not to worry about it," Scootaloo said.

"Cutie Mark Crusader Meditators!" Sweetie Belle cried.

"What?" Scootaloo asked.

"Ponies that meditate don't worry about anything, so we should be Cutie Mark Crusader Meditators," Sweetie Belle said.

"That's ridiculous," Scootaloo said.

"I knew you wouldn't appreciate it," Sweetie Belle said, pouting at Scootaloo.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Scootaloo asked.

"Will you just try it before you shoot down the idea?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Okay, how do you meditate then?" Scootaloo asked.

"I've seen Rarity do it once! I think you just have to sit and moan a lot, but I'm not sure how that's supposed to relax you."

"Let's try it!" Applebloom said. Sweetie Belle started, humming to herself as she sat with her forelegs raised up, in quite the relaxed meditating position. Scootaloo had to keep from chuckling at how ridiculous it looked.

"That looks like fun!" Applebloom said. She quickly joined Sweetie Belle in meditating. Scootaloo, now the odd one out, felt like she had to join in, so she did. She found the sensation oddly relaxing, as the other crusaders did, and they spent the rest of the afternoon meditating to their heart's content.

Ruby had not slept well. She'd been worried about Spike ever since he'd dropped her off at the hotel the night before, and it was about time to get some answers from him. She set off towards the library, thinking of nowhere else to look for him. She knocked on the door to the library when she arrived, and Twilight answered.

"Good afternoon, welcome to the Ponyville Library. Can I help you find anything?"

"I'm looking for Spike," Ruby said.

"Oh, right. Spike!" Twilight called. "Your girlfriend's here!"

"What?" Spike asked, coming to the door. "Oh, hi, Ruby. Nice to see you again."

"Can we talk alone for a bit, Spike?" Ruby asked.

"Is that okay, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"Of course it is!" Twilight said. "I can maintain the library on my own for a while. You go ahead."

"Thanks, Twilight," Spike said, and he followed Ruby outside. The two of them decided to take a walk through Ponyville as they talked.

"Spike, I know something's been bothering you, and I would be sorely amiss if I didn't find out what it was," Ruby said.

"You're right, Ruby, something has been bothering me, but I really think it best if you didn't know about it."

"And why not?" Ruby asked in an accusatory manner.

"You might get mad at me if you found out."

"Why would I get upset? Did you do something wrong? Is that what's bothering you?"

"Well, no, I didn't really, but I didn't react well to the situation either, so I don't know," Spike said.

"Look, this is all really confusing," Ruby said. "Wouldn't it be easier to talk about if you just told me?"

"Who said I wanted to talk about it?" Spike asked. "I don't feel comfortable bringing it up with you, and the more you ask, the less comfortable I am about it."

"Well, did you get anyone else's help, at least?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, I talked to Twilight and she went a long way in helping me resolve the issue."

"So you'll talk to Twilight about your problems but not me? Is that it?" Ruby asked.

"What are you talking about? I've known Twilight all my life. I met you, what, about a month ago?"

"Well, I still think you should be able to talk to me," Ruby said.

"I wish I could, but it's just too complicated," Spike said.

"Try me," Ruby said.

"What?" Spike asked.

"See how much I can or cannot understand," Ruby said.

"Do you really want to know what happened?" Spike asked.

"Yes, I do," Ruby said.

"Fine, I'll tell you," Spike said. "Rarity forced herself on me and I told her I loved her after she did it."

"Rarity…what?" Ruby asked.

"She made me…she made me have sex with her…" Spike said.

"She _what_?" Ruby shrieked in outrage.

"Yeah, that's what happened," Spike said.

"She raped you," Ruby said.

"I guess so," Spike said.

"Where does she live, Spike?" Ruby asked.

"What?" Spike asked. "No. There's no way you're going over there to talk to her. I won't let you do that."

"Tell me where she lives! I want to give her a piece of my mind. Wait a minute, you said you _loved her_?" Ruby asked.

"Twilight thinks I was trying to get back control," Spike said.

"You're supposed to love me, Spike," Ruby said, "not the pony who raped you!"

"I'm sorry; I told you I reacted badly!" Spike said.

"No, Spike, I think I get it," Ruby said. "You never really loved me, did you?"

"That's not true," Spike said.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"Now that I've gotten to know you, I've started to fall for you more and more. What I've felt for Rarity goes back a lot deeper, it's true, but more and more I find you sneaking into my heart every day."

"That's so kind of you to say, Spike. Now where's that pony? She needs to hear what I have to say."

"I already told you, I'm not going to tell you that—"

"Is that her over there?" Ruby asked, pointing at a white pony with a curly purple mane trotting down the road.

"Oh no…" Spike said.

"It is, isn't it?" Ruby asked, her anger building.

"Please don't get involved in this, Ruby," Spike said.

"Rarity!" Ruby yelled. "I know what you did, and you're going to pay!" Rarity turned to the voice and saw Ruby barreling after her. She turned tail and galloped in the other direction, but Ruby turned out to be faster and tackled her to the ground. She started clawing at every inch of Rarity she could reach, tearing her hair out and scratching her deeply. Spike caught up and desperately tried to pull the irate Ruby off of Rarity, but to no avail. Rarity finally came to her senses and used magic to lift the dragon off of her body.

"How dare you attack me like that?" Rarity said. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I…might have told Ruby what happened between us," Spike said.

"Oh," Rarity said. "Well, Ruby, I can understand why you're upset, but I think it best if we sat down and talked about it. Clawing me to death isn't going to resolve anything."

"I refuse to sit with a rapist and try to talk things out," Ruby said.

"Then we'll just have to agree to disagree," Rarity said, "but I'm not letting you go until you promise not to attack me again."

"Ruby, if you attack Rarity again," Spike said, "then you and I are over. Do you hear me?"

"I'll stop," Ruby said, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I believe you," Rarity said, and she let the sad dragon down on the ground. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my business. Make sure this doesn't happen again," Rarity told Spike before trotting away.


	25. Now or Never

**Chapter 25: Now or Never**

"Ya know, Rainbow Dash, I've just about had it with all this secrecy," Applejack told her confidant while they were eating lunch together. The two ponies were sitting outside with the sun beating down on them, a blanket laid out with all kinds of food suited for a picnic. Applejack was munching on a sunflower sandwich, while Rainbow Dash helped herself to a salad. She didn't dare bring one of her more exotic foods for fear of upsetting Applejack again.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked, although she was sure she knew the answer.

"Ah mean ah need to tell mah family about us," Applejack said through a mouthful of sandwich. "It's high past time ah stopped all the lyin' and the hidin' and just came out with the truth."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Rainbow Dash said.

"And why the hay not?" Applejack asked.

"Because they're going to reject you. You made their old-fashioned views on sexuality painfully clear before. What's making you so eager to tell them about us all of a sudden?"

"Ah just don't like keepin' secrets, RD, it's dishonest."

"Oh, for the love of Celestia, Applejack, I know you're the Element of Honesty, but sometimes there's a reason to keep secrets."

"And just what might that be?" Applejack asked.

"Well, in your case, you want your family to support you, don't you?"

"Are you implyin' that by tellin' them about us, they're gonna just turn their backs on me?"

"I'm afraid that's exactly what will happen," Rainbow Dash said. "Think of it from their perspective. They've watched you grow up a happy filly into the magnificent mare you are today. Now you're nearing your foal-bearing years, and it's about time you found yourself a nice colt, settle down, and start raising a family of your own. Tell me that hasn't been brought up in your family."

"Well, Granny Smith did start hintin' that she wanted to see great grand-foals…"

"Yeah, and who do you think's going to give them to her? Big Mac? He only just started dating Twilight; they're not about to get married and get to rutting, are they?"

"They might," Applejack said weakly.

"AJ, we're talking about _Twilight_ and _Big Mac_ here. They're two of the most sexually introverted ponies I've ever met. What are the odds of them bearing foals anytime soon?"

"Well, you might have a point there…" Applejack conceded.

"So the burden falls on you to start a family, and how are you going to do that without dating a colt first? So what's she going to say when she finds out your into mares?"

"She'll be mighty disappointed," Applejack said with a sigh.

"Do you really want to be the one to break that news to her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah don't know, RD, ah hear what yer sayin', but my gut's beggin' me to tell the truth. Ah'm sure mah family will support me no matter what ah tell them."

"Are you sure about that?" Rainbow Dash asked. There was a very pregnant pause.

"No," Applejack admitted, "but ain't that just the way life is? Ya gotta take chances every once in a while."

"Well, you do what you want, but trust me, it's not going to be pretty," Rainbow Dash warned.

"And what about yer family?" Applejack asked. "What do they think of all this?"

"I haven't talked to my family in years. Or did you so easily forget that?"

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, ah'm ever so sorry. Ah didn't mean to bring that up again."

"Forget it," Rainbow Dash said. "It hardly matters anyway."

"That ain't true. It does matter if you don't want to talk to yer family. Why, ah can't imagine livin' that kind of life."

"Well, you might imagine it pretty soon, because you might be the next one to lose your family."

"Rainbow Dash, ah swear to you. Mah family isn't about to let me down like that."

"That's what I always used to say, until it actually happened," Rainbow Dash said. "You just never know when you're going to cross that line."

"Well ah know mah family will stand by me, even if they don't quite understand at first."

"All I can say is good luck," Rainbow Dash said. "I hope they're okay with it."

"Me too," Applejack said. "Me too…"

"Um, hello, Doctor Shrink…" Fluttershy said as she entered the doctor's office.

"Fluttershy, how lovely to see you again. How have the last couple of days been?" Fluttershy laid herself down on the couch, as she did for all of her sessions.

"I think I have a problem, sir," Fluttershy said, "but I don't know how to tell you."

_She lay in bed, ropes tying her to the bedpost. She was waiting for somepony to return, and this certain somepony was going to punish her for being a very bad pony. She struggled against the ropes, but knew they wouldn't budge. A surge of excitement through her loins told her that she very much wanted this treatment._

"And what seems to be the problem, Fluttershy?"

"Well, Doctor, there's this certain somepony who I've been thinking a lot about for the past couple of days."

_Suddenly she saw the pony enter the room. Fluttershy's stomach clenched both with fear and excitement. She looked at the pony and realized he was holding a whip in his hoof. Imagining what the whip would do to her, Fluttershy tensed and readied herself as the pony approached her._

"What have you been thinking about them?" Doctor Shrink asked.

"I keep thinking that they want to do bad things to me, to punish me for something I've done wrong."

"And have you done anything wrong, Fluttershy?"

"No, I haven't, not really. But I'm still expecting punishment."

"And how does that make you feel," Doctor Shrink asked, "this foreboding of punishment?"

"Well," Fluttershy said, "I kind of like it…"

_The pony cracked the whip near her face when he arrived at the bed Fluttershy was tied to. Fluttershy swallowed nervously and clenched her teeth. The pony brushed the end of the whip against Fluttershy's face, letting the tendril of rope slide down her body. Fluttershy could feel herself becoming wet with anticipation, and a quick whiff of the air informed the other pony of this as well._

_ "You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" the pony asked._

_ "Oh yes, I've been begging for this to happen," Fluttershy said._

_ "You've been a very naughty pony, haven't you, Fluttershy?" the pony asked, whipping her suddenly in the back. Fluttershy cringed as she felt the pain lash through her back._

_ "Yes," she said through clenched teeth._

_ "And what needs to happen to naughty ponies?" the pony asked, whipping Fluttershy in the same spot on her back._

_ "They need to be punished," Fluttershy muttered._

_ "What was that?" the pony asked, whipping her once again._

_ "They need to be punished," Fluttershy said, a bit more strongly this time._

_ "I can't hear you!" the pony cried, whipping Fluttershy on the rump._

_ "THEY NEED TO BE PUNISHED!" Fluttershy cried, managing to turn her scream of pain into a declaration. The pony sneered, dragging the end of the whip across the sores on Fluttershy's back._

_ "Very good. Indeed they do."_

"You…like it?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, I do. Oh, please don't think little of me. I know I'm a bit disturbed, but I really can't help it, I just get off on the idea of being punished for something, even when I don't know what it is. Oh, you must think I'm a terrible pony…" A rush of excitement coursed through Fluttershy as illicit thoughts formed in her mind.

"I don't think little of you at all, Fluttershy. I'm well versed in the theories behind masochism, and I believe it's perfectly normal." Doctor Shrink couldn't help but imagine himself leering over Fluttershy, spanking her until her rump was sore. He shook away the thought and told himself he had to maintain his professionalism.

"What I want to know," he said, "is who you are thinking about. Who's inflicting the punishment?"

_The whip cracked again and again, hitting Fluttershy in all the sore spots on her back. She had long since been reduced to tears, cringing as the rope struck her, eager for the next hit to come. The pony above her showed no mercy, that sneer still painted on his face as he lowered his hoof one more time. Fluttershy knew her body couldn't take much more; she was either going to orgasm or pass out from all the pain. Either way, that excitement still sat in her stomach as her darkest fantasies were satisfied._

"That's the hard part of telling you this," Fluttershy said.

"What's hard?" Doctor Shrink asked.

"Saying who it is, that's the part that I'm struggling with," Fluttershy said. "I've been having these fantasies about him for the past few nights, sometimes with a flogger, sometimes with a…" Fluttershy started tearing up now, "with a dildo, but the most pervasive one is one where he's using a whip. That's the one that keeps waking me up at night, the one that's haunting my dreams. And I can tell you all of this just fine, but telling you who…I don't think I could bear it."

"What makes it so hard?" the doctor asked, ignoring the images of him thrusting a dildo into Fluttershy.

"It's…it's just so shameful, all of these thoughts. I don't want the pony I'm thinking about to find out I think about him like this."

"Why would he ever find out?" the doctor asked. "Our meetings are confidential. Nopony outside this office is going to know what we talk about here, I promise." Suddenly, the doctor felt his thoughts converge on the answer. He now knew exactly why Fluttershy was afraid the pony of her desires would find out, because that pony was the very one she was supposed to talk to about this.

"Fluttershy," Doctor Shrink said slowly, "you weren't thinking about…me, were you?" Fluttershy whimpered and started to cry, her body convulsing as if she was cold and shivering. This was the only answer the doctor needed. He rose from his chair and knelt so he could look at Fluttershy face-to-face.

"Fluttershy, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, do you hear me? There is absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, this sort of transference is a normal part of psychotherapy. The patient often projects her deepest desires onto her therapist, and it is up to the two of them to explore this transference and deduce what it means symbolically. Does that make sense?"

"I suppose…" Fluttershy said through her sobs.

"It was very brave of you to tell me this," Doctor Shrink said. "Most patients don't reach this point in their therapy, especially not so soon. You should be proud, Fluttershy."

"But I didn't tell you directly," Fluttershy said. "You figured it out on your own…"

"Not without your hints," Doctor Shrink said.

"Still, I feel like such a bad pony…" Fluttershy said.

"Fluttershy, do you want me to punish you right now?" Fluttershy nodded, afraid to speak her dark desire. Doctor Shrink saw how fragile she was, how delicate, and he found it incredibly erotic. He shifted his chair so that it was behind his desk, hoping that Fluttershy wouldn't see the erection that was slowly and surely developing. But the more desperately he tried to put up professional barriers, the more excited the doctor became to break them. All he needed was a justification, and he would lay his hooves on Fluttershy as fast as he could. Suddenly, in his dark mind, he found one.

"I want to try a sort of experimental therapy," Doctor Shrink said. Fluttershy finally dared to look at him, and she could see a glimmer of eagerness in his eyes that frightened and excited her. This wasn't possible. He couldn't feel the same way…could he?

"Fluttershy, how would you feel if we played out this fantasy of yours right here, in my office? If we brought your deepest desires into the light of the real world, we might be able to find out what is causing them, making our work far easier. We could then work to overcome these desires, if you so wished. How does that sound?" Fluttershy felt her stomach explode with nervous energy. Did she hear him right? Was he really proposing to…punish her in exactly the way she wanted to be punished? Her gut told her that what he was doing was wrong, but the wrongness of it only excited her more. She was too timid to express her desires however, afraid that this was another of her dreams from which she would soon wake up.

"I need an answer, Fluttershy," the doctor said, trying to curtail the frustration in his voice. That anger only served to excite Fluttershy even more. Enough anger, and he just might punish her even more severely…

The doctor hesitated, afraid he had pushed too far.

"I…understand if you don't want to try this, Fluttershy. I would be lying if I said this was ethical, and it was wrong of me to bring it up. I would understand also if you didn't want to see me anymore." Fluttershy felt frightened, her opportunity was slipping away, and she needed to grasp at it quickly.

"I'll do it," she squeaked, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to leak from her eyes.

"I'm sorry?" Doctor Shrink asked, not sure if he believed what he thought he heard.

"I want to be…punished…" Fluttershy whispered, breathing heavily with fear. She could feel her heart pounding, afraid she was already too late, that he had already rescinded his offer.

"You…want to do this?" Doctor Shrink asked.

"Yes," Fluttershy said, now becoming aggravated. How many times did she have to tell him?

Doctor Shrink rose from his chair and walked over to Fluttershy, his form looming over her as she lay on the couch.

"Turn over," Doctor Shrink said, his voice cold and empty. Fluttershy, knowing what he wanted, turned onto her stomach. Beneath her thighs, Doctor Shrink could already see Fluttershy seeping onto herself, and he smiled to himself. He raised a hoof and lowered it onto Fluttershy's rump. Fluttershy squeaked when she felt the impact and then squealed with excitement. Doctor Shrink spanked her again, and Fluttershy's squeak became louder. This went on for quite some time, until Fluttershy's cries echoed through the office and her rump was red, sore from the doctor's punishment. Fluttershy started sobbing, and before the doctor lowered his hoof again, he stopped and knelt down to Fluttershy's level.

"It's okay, Fluttershy," he said softly, all of the warmth returning to his voice. "I think that's about enough punishment for one session. Is that all right?" Fluttershy nodded. Doctor Shrink patted her on the head affectionately before returning to his desk.

"Dear me, look at the time. I think it's time for you to get going, Fluttershy." Fluttershy felt relieved and disappointed at the same time, relieved that the pain was over, but disappointed that pleasure wasn't waiting on the other side. For there was another part to her fantasy, one that she refused to tell the doctor, that involved passionate love-making after the punishment had subsided.

"Okay," Fluttershy said, rising from the couch and headed for the door. She was about to open it when the doctor's voice stopped her.

"Fluttershy," he said. "I can bring some…toys for next time, if you like. Is there anything you'd like me to use?" Fluttershy felt a rush of excitement return to her. She turned around and faced the doctor bravely.

"A whip," she said.

_This is it!_ Applejack thought to herself. She was sitting at the kitchen table with Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom and all four of them were eating their dinners rather quietly. Applejack cleared her throat, and the other three members of the family looked at her expectedly. Applejack looked at them all and smiled sheepishly. Granny Smith stared at Applejack inquisitively.

"Well, what is it, Applejack?" she asked. Apple Bloom and Big Mac both looked at her also.

_Now or never_, Applejack said to herself.

"Um, ah have something to tell you that's pretty important," Applejack said. "If y'all will just hear me out, I'd appreciate it."

"We're listening," Granny Smith said. Applejack gulped nervously, Rainbow Dash's words echoing in her head. Well, there was nothing for it. She had to tell them now, because she couldn't think of anything else to tell them that would cover her tracks.

"Well, ah've always wondered to myself why ah never seemed to be interested in colts," Applejack said, "and it turns out that ah'm not interested in colts. About a month ago, ah started dating a mare, and ah've really fallen in love with her. She gets me in almost every way, and ah can't imagine mah life without her."

"So wait," Big Mac said, "you're telling us you…like mares?"

"Ah reckon ah'm a filly fooler," Applejack said.

"You're a what?" Granny Smith asked, and her tone suggested to Applejack that she wasn't pleased with what she heard. Applejack sighed and tried to explain it to her.

"Look, Granny Smith, ah can do lots of things, but ah can't pretend to be interested in a sex that ah just ain't interested in. Ah don't like colts, that's all there is to it."

"But ya never even gave one a chance," Granny Smith said. "What about Lucky? Ah heard he really fancied ya, and ya just wrote him off."

"Like ah said, ah wasn't interested," Applejack said.

"And why not?" Granny Smith asked. Applejack felt nerves enter her stomach. This was a lot more awkward than she had anticipated.

"Ah don't know, it just isn't in me. Like, fer example, why doesn't Big Macintosh like colts?"

"Why are you bringin' me into this?" Big Mac asked.

"Ah'm not bringin' you into this," Applejack said, "ah'm just usin' you as an example. Ah mean, think about it, Granny Smith. Big Mac ain't interested in colts, and nobody bats an eye, 'cause it's just natural. Well, ah ain't interested in colts neither, it's just the way ah was made."

"Well, that's very disappointing to hear, Applejack," Granny Smith said coldly.

"What do ya mean, Granny Smith?" Applejack asked.

"Because ah don't approve o' your choices, that's why!"

"It ain't a choice, Granny Smith, it's just how ah am."

"I ain't never seen a mare datin' other mares, it just ain't natural! So, rather than settle down with a nice colt and raise a family, yer choosin' to live this filthy lifestyle. Well, ah won't have it in mah house!" Granny Smith slammed her hoof into the table to emphasize her point. Applejack started to tear up. Desperate for some support, she turned to Big Mac.

"You get it, don't ya, Mac? In a way, ah'm just like you. I ain't interested in no colts and ah like mares, just like you. Don't ya get it?"

"Ah reckon ah don't," Big Mac said. "Yer a beautiful mare, Applejack. You've got a lot goin' fer you, and any colt would kill to court you. Ah just don't understand why you'd choose to throw that all away."

"How many times do ah have to tell you, it ain't a choice! Apple Bloom, don't you understand?"

"Leave Apple Bloom out of this!" Granny Smith said. "It's bad enough she's heard you spoutin' such filth. Ah don't want you corruptin' her. You know, she looks up to you, Applejack. You need to set the example for her, and ya ain't gonna do it by datin' no mares!"

"But Granny Smith–"

"Ah don't want to hear any more of it. If that's how ya really feel, ah want you out of this house. You can move in with whatever mare you've convinced to date ya. Who is this unlucky find o' yours, anyhow? Not that ah'm curious, ah just want to be warned."

"It's…it's Rainbow Dash…" Applejack said, remembering her words of warning and realizing how horribly right she had been.

"A fine young mare she used to be, too. It's a shame. Now pack yer things and get out! Ah won't have such a filthy lifestyle in mah house." Applejack rose from the dinner table and trotted sadly upstairs to her room. She spent the next hour gathering all of her belongings and putting them in her saddle pack. While she was in the middle of doing so, she heard a knock at the door. Applejack turned and saw Apple Bloom walk in.

"What do you want, Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked.

"Ah don't want ya to go," Apple Bloom said. "Granny Smith told me not to talk to you, so ah told her ah had to go to the bathroom. Ah just want to let you know that ah don't think it's weird at all."

"Thanks Applebloom, but don't let Granny Smith hear ya say that, or she'll be even more upset at me."

"Well, ah'm not gonna like mares or nothin', but ah wish you wouldn't go…" Apple Bloom started crying, and Applejack went over and gave her a hug.

"It'll be fine. I'll be at Rainbow Dash's until this is all over. Ah'm sure things are gonna turn around."

"Ah hope yer right, Applejack."

"Don't worry. You'd better get back down there before they start wonderin' where ya went."

"Okay…" Apple Bloom said, returning to the kitchen. Applejack finally gathered all of her things and left the house without saying goodbye to her family. She would head over to Rainbow Dash's momentarily, but she needed Twilight to cast a cloud-walking spell on her so she could stay with her marefriend. So Applejack headed towards Twilight's library. Along the way, she wondered if she should've just kept everything a secret. _A little too late to be wonderin' that, Applejack_, she said to herself. She hung her head down as she trotted to Twilight's library. When she finally arrived, it had gotten dark. Applejack knocked on the door, and Twilight went over and answered it.

"Hi Applejack. Um…why are you carrying your saddle pack?"

"Ah got kicked outta mah house," Applejack said.

"What? Why?" Twilight asked.

"Ah told mah family about me and Rainbow Dash…" Applejack said.

"Oh, Applejack, why would you do that?" Twilight asked. "Come in. I'm sure I can find a place for you to sleep."

"Oh, ah don't need that, Twilight. Ah'll be stayin' with Rainbow Dash. Ah just need–"

"–the cloud-walking spell, got it," Twilight said. She ran upstairs to find the book she needed to perform the spell and came back down quickly with it. She performed the spell with little difficulty, and Applejack thanked her for doing so.

"Do you want me to talk to Big Mac for you?" Twilight asked.

"Nah, ah don't need ya to do that. He's already made up his mind."

"But Applejack, how long can you go on without your family?"

"As long as ah have to," Applejack said. "Ah have to get goin', Twilight."

"Okay. Well, good luck, Applejack. I hope things turn around for you."

"Ah hope so too," Applejack said before leaving the library. She once again made the solo journey, this time to Rainbow Dash's house on the outskirts of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash saw Applejack, flew down, and gave her a big hug. Applejack started to cry, and her tears fell down Rainbow Dash's shoulder, but Rainbow Dash didn't mind.

"Did you get everything from your house?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yep," Applejack said. Rainbow Dash then picked her up and brought her inside the house. The floor was as fluffy as Applejack remembered it.

"I don't want to say I told you so, because it doesn't seem right to kick a mare when she's down," Rainbow Dash said.

"No, you were right," Applejack conceded. "Ah should've known better than to tell mah folks."

"No, I think you did the right thing," Rainbow Dash said. "Besides, now you get to live with me. How awesome is that?" Applejack laughed.

"Pretty awesome, I guess," she said.

"You know we're going to have all kinds of sex," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack laughed again.

"Ah don't think ah'm in the mood fer that tonight, but soon," she said.

"Fair enough. I wouldn't be in the mood either. Let's just hit the sack."

"Sounds good to me," Applejack said. She decided she could unpack her saddle pack later. Right now, she needed to lie next to Rainbow Dash and get a good night's sleep. She tucked herself underneath the covers and wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash before the two of them fell asleep.


	26. Guiltier Than Sin

**Chapter 26: Guiltier Than Sin**

Rarity was locked away in her bathroom, isolated from the world. So much had happened the past couple of days and she had needed the time to think. She stood in the shower and let the water wash over her like rain. The water left her mane hanging straight down, which Rarity normally hated but paid little attention to now.

The fact of the matter was she had expected Twilight to lunge at her that night as Ruby had, but she had chosen to sit down and discuss the matter like adults. Rarity had underestimated her friend's maturity, even though she definitely saw livid anger in the way she looked at her, which was no less than what she deserved.

Rarity still felt like the worst pony in existence. So much had been destroyed when she had taken Spike like that. And to think that he still loved her! It made Rarity sick to think about the love she did not deserve.

And yet a part of her wondered if Spike had actually _enjoyed_ what had happened to him that night. There was no evidence that he held any animosity towards her, and the way he had kissed her out of the blue like that… Rarity shook her head indignantly, telling herself she could not allow herself that small chance of escape. What she had done was heinous, plain and simple, and now every animal desire she had was tainted with her dark transgressions.

Then her mind wandered to Big Mac. If she had guessed right, Rarity thought he'd been there to hold Twilight back in case things got too heated. It had been a wise choice; Rarity knew nopony more even-tempered. But there was something else he had said that still troubled her, only for the life of her she couldn't remember what it was.

Then, as if by magic, her mind found the answer. He had been so crass as to suggest a threesome with her and Twilight! _That scoundrel!_ Rarity thought, but she took a minute more to remember the figure of the stallion who had said that. Tall, muscular, able-bodied, Big Mac had a lot going for him when it came to looks. Yes, his mane was unfortunately bland, but beyond that Rarity could see nothing wrong with his figure. Even more impressive was his gentle nature and his compassion for his family and his farm. She was sure he had compassion for his friends, too, but it was difficult to know without being one of them.

Yet he knew her just as little and still essentially admitted to his girlfriend that he wanted to have sex with her.

The thought made Rarity's stomach flutter, and that reaction in itself made her even more nervous. It wasn't that she was surprised by his alleged attraction for her; seldom did a day go by when Rarity didn't notice a stallion or even the occasional mare checking her out. It was that the interest came from one of the most reserved ponies in Ponyville. Rarity expected attention, but not necessarily attention from a pony as shy as he was.

Rarity smiled to herself, letting her mind wander for the first time in a while. She had a picture in her head of that proposed threesome. She imagined herself, Twilight, and Big Mac lying in Twilight's bed, the stallion nestled in between the two mares. She saw Twilight kissing her boyfriend and herself lowering a hoof to her crotch and playing with herself. Then, Big Mac turned over and kissed Rarity, who melted under the touch of his tongue. Rarity pictured Twilight straddling Big Mac's sizable cock while Rarity allowed Big Mac to lick her delicate folds while Rarity kissed Twilight. Then the image changed to Rarity sucking on Big Mac's penis while Twilight ate her out.

Her fantasies became more vivid and more erotic with each passing moment, and Rarity soon found she had her hoof rubbing at her crotch vigorously. Rarity moaned and gasped as she masturbated, picking up the pace when she thought about Twilight kissing her and letting her taste her own fluids. She could feel her folds becoming slick, which made her hoofwork slipperier and easier. Rarity started gasping for breath, feeling the pressure in her loins build steadily until finally she started to squirt and could feel energy rocketing through her body. Rarity rode the high, moaning as she gasped for air, and already she could feel herself falling from the high. Rarity took a deep breath and smiled contently; she had surprised herself with her own feelings.

_Perhaps Big Mac had the right idea after all_, she thought.

Rarity spent a bit more time cleaning herself up in the shower before finally turning the water off, stepping out, and wrapping her wet body in a towel. She was relieved that she could have a sexual fantasy without feeling so tainted with her dark deeds. Of course, she laughed off her fantasy as a dream and nothing more. Now that Twilight was with Big Mac, there would be no way she would want to share him, not even if it was with her former lover. And who, Rarity thought, could blame her? Big Mac was quite the catch.

Rarity wrapped the towel around her head and stepped into her room, lying down on her bed. She sighed with relief after a healthy release of sexual tension she had been holding for a while. Rarity thought she should pleasure herself more and manipulate innocent hearts less. _Yes_, she thought, _that sounds like a pretty good plan to me._

Applejack leaned back into the pillow as Rainbow Dash kissed her. The farm mare wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash's neck as her tongue explored the pegasus' mouth. Rainbow Dash reached down and started to rub her hoof against Applejack's thigh, which elicited a moan from the orange pony.

Rainbow Dash broke the kiss and started to nip lightly at Applejack's neck. Applejack moaned with pleasure as Rainbow Dash rubbed further and further up her thigh, coming dangerously close to her folds without reaching them. Rainbow Dash then started to work her mouth's way down Applejack's chest. By the time her mouth reached Applejack's abdomen and it became clear what was going to follow, Applejack pulled the brakes.

"Hold on, RD, just stop, please," she said. Rainbow Dash, though crestfallen, obliged her partner.

"What's up, AJ?" she asked, her face wearing her concern.

"Ah just, ah mean, ah'm havin' a hard time goin' through with this," Applejack said.

"What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack turned away and grimaced.

"Come on, AJ, talk to me," Rainbow Dash said, cuddling up next to her lover and wrapping a foreleg across her shoulder. "I want to know what's up."

"Ah just feel so _guilty_, that's all," Applejack said.

"Guilty? About what? We've been doing this for quite a while, and you never expressed any guilt then."

"Well, now things are different," Applejack said. Rainbow Dash nodded, thinking she knew where this was going.

"I think I get it. You're upset because of what your family said to you, right?" Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash could clearly see the hurt in her eyes.

"Was it that obvious?" Applejack asked with a small smile.

"Pretty much," Rainbow Dash said. "Look, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I know it must be hard to have your family turn on you like that. What exactly happened?"

"Well, Granny Smith went on and on about how immoral ah was, how ah wasn't settin' a good example for Apple Bloom, and the like. Big Mac was just confused. Both of them kept askin' how ah could make a choice like that. Ah tried to tell them it weren't no choice, but they wouldn't have none of it."

"That's rough," Rainbow Dash said. "How about Apple Bloom?"

"She didn't want me to go, but Granny Smith insisted ah leave the house and ah wasn't about to start no fight, so ah packed up mah things and left."

"And now you're here," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack nodded.

"Ah thought ah could just get over it, but ah reckon ah can't…"

"Well, we don't have to go through with this now if you don't want to," Rainbow Dash said.

"But that ain't really fair to you, is it?" Applejack asked.

"Nah, I wouldn't feel right if your heart wasn't in it," Rainbow Dash said. "Come on, why don't we just cuddle?"

"Ah thought you hated cuddling," Applejack said, giving Rainbow Dash a skeptical look.

"Don't make me ask twice. Just cuddle with me, damn it."

"Okay, okay, ah'm comin'," Applejack said. She sidled up to Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Dash wrapped her foreleg around her. The two of them lied still and just focused on breathing deeply.

"Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for lettin' me stay at yer place."

"Oh, you don't have to thank me for that," Rainbow Dash said. "It's no big deal."

"Nah, it really means a lot to me," Applejack said. "Ah really do appreciate it."

"Well, you're welcome," Rainbow Dash said. The two of them lied there like that until they both gradually drifted off to sleep.

"Spike…" Ruby said. The two of them were in Ruby's hotel room. Spike had gone over because he had felt distracted and needed somepony to help him collect his thoughts. Twilight had sent him to see Ruby without hesitation.

"Look, I'm sorry," Spike said. "I don't know why I told you I loved her."

"Well, could you try to explain it to me?" Ruby asked. "I don't really get it."

"I've had a crush on Rarity from the day I first met her," Spike said. "I always thought she was beautiful, elegant, graceful, kind. I was totally smitten with her, as Twilight might say. So when she suggested that we…you know…sure, part of me was confused and didn't want to go through with it, but another part of me was really excited. I think that's why I didn't really put up much of a fight."

"Oh," Ruby said. "And you never felt like that about me, right?"

"That's not really true, as I already told you," Spike said. "You've been there for me when I needed you, and that says a lot."

"So what can I do to get you to forget about her?" Ruby asked. "She's no good for you, Spike. She made that abundantly clear when she raped you."

"Can we not call it that?" Spike asked. "It makes me feel queasy."

"But that's what happened," Ruby said. "It doesn't help to live in denial, Spike."

"I know it doesn't," Spike said. "I wish it did help though."

"I do too, sometimes," Ruby said. "It would make life a whole lot simpler."

"Guess life never really is that simple," Spike said. The two of them sat awkwardly in silence, each unsure of what to say next.

"I really wish you hadn't attacked her," Spike said.

"I know," Ruby said, and tears started to form in her eyes. "But when I heard what she…what she did to you, I couldn't help myself. I had to get even somehow."

"She's still my friend, Ruby, and I don't want you attacking any of my friends."

"But that's the thing I don't get!" Ruby cried. "How can she still be your friend after she raped you? Do you see how that makes no sense?"

"Part of me wanted it, Ruby. I don't know if that keeps it from being rape."

"Did you really want to go through with it or not?"

"Uh…" Spike said, thinking.

"It's a simple question, Spike!"

"No, it isn't!" Spike cried. "Not with her. Not with her…" Ruby huffed in frustration, grabbed Spike, and shook him a bit.

"Tell me what exactly happened. What did she say to you? What did you do in response?"

"I…well, I went into the library. Twilight was out with Big Mac, I think, and Rarity was lying on the couch all by herself. I asked her what was wrong, if I remember correctly. She said it was too complicated."

"Okay, go on," Ruby said.

"I…really? This didn't happen that long ago…I told her I had a date with you. That was the night you told me not to wear the bowtie."

"Oh, it was that night?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, the bowtie was a gift from Rarity, but I didn't know that at the time. So she was a bit upset when I told her I threw it out."

"Oh, that must have been awkward."

"A little. Anyway, don't get mad or anything, because this was a while ago and how I feel about you now is different, but I told Rarity I had stronger feelings for her than I did for you."

"You said that to her?" Ruby asked.

"Sorry," Spike said.

"No, I think I get it," Ruby said. "Continue."

"Then she asked if there was anything she could do to help me feel better. I said maybe if she changed the way she felt about me, that would be a start. Then she offered to do me some 'favors'…"

"Favors?" Ruby asked.

"I thought it was weird, too," Spike said. "At first I didn't know what she meant, but then she told me exactly what she was talking about and I was dumbstruck."

"What were you feeling?" Ruby asked.

"It was a mixture of terror and excitement," Spike said. "I was so confused. I didn't know what to do. I probably should have just left her there, maybe gone back to your hotel room. Then none of this would have happened…"

"You can't change the past, Spike," Ruby said. "What's done is done."

"She asked me if I loved you, and that just made me even more confused."

"What did you tell her?"

"At the time, I told her no." Ruby looked hurt. Spike placed a claw on her shoulder.

"Remember what I said? My feelings have changed."

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked.

"Positive," Spike said. "Anyway, then she asked if I loved her, and I told her yes. Then I told her she had to leave, but she said we both knew I would leap at this opportunity if I had the chance. She said we could do this the easy way or the hard way…"

"What was that like?" Ruby asked.

"Horrible," Spike said. "That's not how I wanted it to go at all. I was hoping she'd actually care about me. I don't understand why she forced herself on me like that…"

"Well, there's no doubt about it in my mind any longer," Ruby said. "You were raped."

"I guess I was…" Spike said, and he started to bawl. Ruby wrapped him in an embrace while he cried on her shoulder.

"I should have known," Spike said. "I should have known it was forced."

"It's okay, Spike," Ruby said. "I know it's confusing."

"I feel so dirty," Spike said. "Like there's filth on me that I can't wash off."

"I think that's normal," Ruby said. "Sorry, dragons are a little barbaric. That kind of thing happens with us all the time, except it's usually the male raping the female."

"That's terrible," Spike said. "And to think I wanted to be more like a dragon…"

"I wish I could be more like you, Spike," Ruby said.

"But you're way nicer than all of the other dragons I've met," Spike said. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, I did attack Rarity when I saw her. I'm not that nice."

"I had just told you what happened. You were probably as shocked and confused as I was. If it had been you in my shoes, I might have done the same thing."

"Really?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, probably," Spike said. "I am a dragon, after all."

"That's really nice of you to say, Spike," Ruby said.

"Don't mention it," Spike said. The two of them lay down on the bed and Spike kissed Ruby on the forehead.

"Thanks for hearing me out," Spike said. "It feels good to get that story off my chest. It's like poison has left my body or something."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry I attacked her, Spike."

"Like I said, it's no big deal," Spike said.

"You know, I really do love you, Spike," Ruby said. She looked at Spike with expectation and a little bit of fear. Spike thought that was adorable, and he had no trouble saying what he said next.

"I love you too, Ruby." The two of them kissed, their tongues slipping into each other's mouths. Spike could feel his member rise, especially when Ruby crawled up on top of him. They kissed passionately for a while, and then broke apart for a moment.

"Is this…?" Ruby asked. Spike shook his head sadly.

"It's too soon," Spike said. Ruby looked heartbroken, but she tried to understand as best she could.

"Just kissing, then?" she asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me," Spike said.

"All right," Ruby said, and their lips locked once again.

"Twilight," Big Mac said. "Somethin' mighty wrong happened at our place last night." Big Mac and Twilight were at the library. Spike had gone off to see Ruby, so the two of them had the space to themselves. "It's been gnawin' at me ever since it happened."

"Applejack already told me," Twilight said.

"She did? Why?"

"She…came over to let me know what happened," Twilight said. She wasn't comfortable telling Big Mac where she was staying, in case that caused any more animosity.

"Do you know where she went off to?" Big Mac asked.

"I don't know," Twilight said.

"What? She didn't tell you? But then she could be anywhere!"

"Oh, wait, she told me she was going to Fluttershy's," Twilight said. "But it wouldn't be a good idea to visit her. She's really upset with you."

"Well, when she told me about how she felt, ah got all confused. Ah said why'd you make that choice?"

"It's not a choice, Big Mac," Twilight said, starting to lose her patience. "Applejack was born that way, and it doesn't make her any less of a pony."

"Are ya sure, Twilight?"

"I'm positive! How can you even ask that?"

"Well, ah know you and Rarity had a bit of a fling, but then ya decided ya liked stallions after that, so ah wasn't sure," Big Mac said. "Maybe this thing with Rainbow Dash is just a fling…"

"No, I think they really love each other," Twilight said.

"So why isn't she stayin' with her, then?" Big Mac asked.

"Maybe she doesn't want to disappoint you anymore," Twilight suggested. She thought it was a very good cover. Big Mac looked down, feeling guiltier than sin.

"Ah can't believe ah let this happen," Big Mac said. "Ya know, it was really hard workin' the farm today without her. Ah didn't realize how much harder the harvestin' was gonna be until she left."

"Really? That's all you can think about, is how much harder it's going to be for _you_?" Twilight asked, her anger now dramatically taking control.

"That's not what ah meant!" Big Mac cried. "Ah was just sayin' ah really didn't think this through, and ah don't think Granny Smith did neither."

"What did Granny Smith say?" Twilight asked.

"She told Applejack that her lifestyle was dirty and that it wasn't allowed in the house," Big Mac explained.

"So she's the real reason Applejack left," Twilight said. Big Mac nodded.

"Why didn't you stick up for her?" Twilight asked. "She's your sister."

"Ah told you ah was really confused. Ah didn't know what to do, and ah didn't want to go against Granny Smith's wishes."

"I thought Applejack meant more to you than that," Twilight said, crestfallen. Big Mac now felt even guiltier.

"Ah'm really sorry, Twilight."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Twilight said. "And trust me, Applejack doesn't want to hear it right now."

"What am ah gonna do, Twilight?" Big Mac asked.

"There's nothing you can do, Big Mac. You're just going to have to get by without her for the time being. Maybe Granny Smith will have a change of heart and you'll welcome Applejack back with open hooves. But until then, you'll just have to suffer on that farm by yourself."

"Ah didn't mean fer any of this to happen…"

"I don't think anyone means for these things to happen," Twilight said. "But they happen, and now you have to live with the consequences."

"Ah guess you don't want me to stay here tonight…"

"That's probably for the best. I am sorry about what happened, Big Mac, but your silence is just as at fault as Granny Smith's harsh words."

"Ah know it is. Well, thanks fer hearin' me out, anyway."

"You're welcome. Good night, Big Mac."

"Goodnight, Twilight," Big Mac said as he walked out the library door.

Pinkie Pie was having difficulty sleeping, which did happen once in a while. So she was out on a midnight stroll to try to clear her head. She noticed that she was the only pony up at this hour of the night, which spooked her a bit.

"When I was a little filly and the sun was going down…" she started to sing to herself. She then heard a rustling noise nearby.

"Who's there? Hello?" Pinkie Pie asked. There was no response. Feeling decidedly more frightened, Pinkie Pie continued to sing to herself.

"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown…" Suddenly a pony appeared in front of her. The pony was pink with a pale blue mane and a wavy, pale blue tail.

"Who are you?" Pinkie Pie asked, trying not to betray her fear.

"Oh, um, hi. I didn't expect anyone else to be out here so late… My name is Cotton Candy. Who are you?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie," she said, and her fears started to fade. "You must be new around here. I've never seen you before. And since you're new, you might not have any friends right now. Do you want to be my friend?"

"Oh, that's okay," Cotton Candy said. "I'm a bit of a loner."

"You must not know me very well, then," Pinkie Pie said. "I'm friends with everypony in Ponyville. That means I'm going to be your friend, too."

"Oh, well that's awfully nice of you," Cotton Candy said. "Um, can you follow me for a second? I thought I saw something in the alley over there as I walked past, and I didn't want to check it out by myself, but now that you're here I was kind of hoping…"

"Okay!" Pinkie Pie said. Cotton Candy led her to the alley and then turned around. Her eyes flashed a sickly green, and before Pinkie Pie could react, a flash of green light struck her and knocked her unconscious.

Pinkie Pie woke up in a dark cave. She tried to get up, but she was bound to the cave's floor by something she couldn't see. Confused and terribly frightened, she cried for help.

"Come now, Pinkie Pie, nopony's going to hear you all the way out here…" came a sinister voice. Pinkie Pie immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Discord.

"The princess warned us about you!" she said.

"I'm sure she did," Discord said. "After all, only the Elements of Harmony can defeat me. But now one of them is missing, so how will you ever form together and vanquish me to my stone prison?"

"You won't get away with this, Discord! My friends will realize I'm gone and look for me!"

"Really? Are you sure about that?" Discord asked. Then, out of the shadows, an exact copy of Pinkie Pie walked over to her.

"I'm sure Chrysalis needs no introduction," Discord said. "You caused her quite the strife back at that wedding. Take comfort in knowing that she will fill in for you while you're away."

"No!" Pinkie Pie cried. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Nothing yet, dear foal," Discord said. "But you'll see what we have planned soon enough." Pinkie Pie struggled against what she now knew was Discord's magic, hoping that she could find some way out of the predicament she found herself in. Alas, there was nothing she could do against Discord's magic. She watched as Chrysalis teleported away and her heart sank.


	27. A True Blessing

**Chapter 27: A True Blessing**

Twilight woke up the next morning feeling quite ill. She lay in her bed, rubbing her stomach in confusion, unsure of what was going on. She decided that she needed to get up and try to power through it, but when she rose from the bed she felt an overwhelming dizziness that nearly sent her collapsing to the floor. Twilight stumbled towards the stairs, but her stomach felt more and more nauseous with every step she took. Deciding that perhaps the bathroom was a better place to go, she staggered over to the door to her bathroom and opened it. When she did, she felt an overpowering reflex take hold. Knowing what was coming, she rushed over to the toilet and raised the seat. As soon as she did that, Twilight keeled over and vomited into the toilet. She could taste the vile bile leaving her body and collecting in a pool of brown in the toilet. Twilight felt some vomit start to leak out of her nostrils, so she reached over to the toilet paper so she could blow her nose. The stench was overpowering, and almost made Twilight begin to puke again. Spike, having heard the commotion, went upstairs and found Twilight leaning over the toilet.

"Are you all right?" Spike asked her. Twilight flushed the toilet and went over to the sink to wash her face.

"No, Spike, I'm not. I just vomited in the toilet!"

"I thought that's what I heard," Spike said. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes, call the doctor. I think I need to see him today."

"What if he doesn't have any openings?" Spike asked.

"He knows who I am. I shouldn't have any trouble getting in, or I might just tell Princess Celestia about his neglect."

"Oh, you're playing it that way, huh?" Spike asked. "Okay, I'll see if I can get you an appointment."

"Thanks Spike," Twilight said, beaming at her dragon. Spike gave a friendly salute and left the bathroom, headed for the phone. Twilight stared at herself in the mirror. She had bags under her eyes, as if she hadn't gotten any sleep. _But I slept just fine last night_, she thought.

Her stomach, thankfully, was giving her no more trouble, so she went downstairs and saw that Spike was still on the phone, apparently scheduling her meeting.

"Oh, okay…so she can come in at twelve o'clock? Right…sounds great! She'll see you then! Thanks a lot. Bye." Spike hung up the phone.

"Hey, Twilight, did you hear that?"

"Twelve o'clock? That sounds great. Thanks Spike."

"No problem. Can I make you something for breakfast?"

"I don't think breakfast is the greatest idea right now. I don't want to end up back over the toilet."

"Oh, right…well, is there anything else I can do?"

"You've done quite enough already, Spike," Twilight said. "I mean, I'm glad you're in such a helpful mood, but I really don't think it's necessary."

"Yes it is. You're sick, Twilight, and I want to help out."

"Okay, maybe you could fetch me a glass of water," Twilight said, more in an attempt to humor Spike than out of any thirst she might have had. Spike went to the sink and poured Twilight some water. She lifted it up with her magic, but doing so caused her head to spin, so she held the cup with her hoof instead.

"What happened?" Spike asked. "Why are you holding the cup with your hoof?"

"Magic just makes me dizzy right now, Spike," Twilight said. "There's nothing to be worried about."

"Okay then…" Spike said. Twilight sat down in the couch and sipped some of her water. It helped to get that noxious taste out of her mouth. She groaned; vomiting was never a fun experience.

"What should I do about opening the library?" Spike asked.

"Oh, right, I have to run the library…actually, could you handle it today, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"Well, to be honest, that's kind of a lot to ask for. Are you sure you want me to run the library? Maybe you just want to keep it closed for today…"

"Spike, I don't want to rob ponies of the opportunity to read and learn. It's too important."

"Twilight, barely anypony comes to the library anymore," Spike said. "I mean, I know you don't want to admit it, but that's the truth."

"Still, Spike, I haven't closed the library in a long time. Let's not start now, okay?"

"All right, but if I have trouble and you're around, can I ask you for help?"

"Sure, Spike, whatever you need," Twilight said.

"Thanks, Twilight. That makes me feel a lot better."

"I'm glad it does," Twilight said. Spike stroked her back and headed off to start preparing the library to open. Twilight sighed and continued to sip her water, thankful it wasn't upsetting her stomach to do so. _I'm really lucky to have him_, she thought.

When it was 11:30, Twilight decided it was best to head out for the doctor's office. When she arrived, she checked in with the receptionist and took a seat. It was awkward to sit in the waiting room with nothing to do. Twilight had no interest in the magazines; most of them resembled the smut the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been printing in the _Foal Free Press_, and she wasn't interested in that kind of reading anymore. So she twiddled her hooves until 12:05, when the doctor called her name.

"Nice to see you again, Twilight Sparkle," he said as he led her to one of the rooms so they could measure her height and weight.

"Nice to see you, too, Stethoscope," Twilight said, calling the doctor by his name. Once they took down her measurements, Twilight went into a different room and sat on the table.

"You seem to know the drill by heart," Stethoscope said. "Now, what seems to be troubling you? I didn't get much from my receptionist other than your urgent desire to see me today."

"Well, I woke up feeling nauseous," Twilight explained, "and when I tried to step out of bed, I felt really dizzy." The doctor took some notes as Twilight talked. "Anyway, I ended up going to the bathroom and vomiting in the toilet. After that I wasn't nauseous anymore. Then Spike got me a glass of water, and when I tried to levitate it with magic I got really dizzy again."

"I see," Stethoscope said, and he put down his clipboard and pen. "Twilight, I apologize if this is a bit personal, but have you been sexually active within the last couple of weeks?"

"What?" Twilight asked. "Why would you ask that?"

"You don't know much about your symptoms, do you?" Stethoscope asked, unfazed by Twilight's galvanized reaction.

"What about my symptoms?" Twilight asked, frustrated that she didn't have the answers to these questions herself.

"Well, Twilight, I have to tell you that all of the symptoms you described to me match up with a mare who recently conceived. Especially the dizziness when using magic, that's a telltale sign that a unicorn is pregnant."

"Pregnant? I can't be pregnant!" Twilight yelled, and she was starting to get dizzy again as she did so. She held her head and took a deep breath.

"How can we be sure?" she asked.

"Well, the test is simple. All I need to do is a bit of a magical ultrasound, so to speak. At this early stage, I'm only looking to isolate a few small cells, but I have been trained and I do know what to look for. You don't mind, do you?"

"Well, I guess I'd rather know than not know," Twilight said.

"Very well. Just give me a moment. Try to lie still, and don't move too much or it'll be harder for me to isolate the cells." Twilight did as she was told. The doctor swept his horn across her stomach, looking to isolate the cells that would confirm if Twilight was pregnant. Twilight wanted to see what was going on, but she didn't want to move and make Stethoscope's work any more difficult. So she waited patiently until the doctor said something.

"Ah, I see. It looks as though you have conceived, Twilight Sparkle. You're pregnant."

"I'm…I'm what?" Twilight asked, starting to feel lightheaded.

"In about eleven months, you're going to be a mother, if all goes well," Stethoscope said. "Congratulations."

"Um…thanks," Twilight said.

"Oh, forgive me, but you don't seem all too thrilled with the news. I take it you weren't exactly planning on this, am I right?"

"Yes, you're right," Twilight said. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Well, these things happen, Twilight, but I don't see the reason to be so glum. This is a true blessing, and between you and me, I think you're going to be a wonderful mother."

"Thanks Stethoscope," Twilight said. "I just hope the father sees it that way…"

"How'd it go, Twilight?" Spike asked when Twilight returned to the library. Twilight looked around and noticed that nopony else was in the library.

"Have we had nopony else in the library today?" Twilight asked.

"We had a few ponies come in while you were gone, but it's been pretty quiet," Spike said. "Anyway, what did the doctor say?"

"Well, I suppose I'd better tell you now, as it's going to become obvious later…"

"Huh?" Spike asked.

"Spike, I'm…" Twilight said, "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Spike asked, his face the picture of shock.

"I'm pregnant, Spike," Twilight said with a smile on her face. She supposed that's what she had looked like when Stethoscope had told her.

"That's…that's crazy," Spike said. "Um…how does that work?"

"You don't know?" Twilight asked.

"I'm a baby dragon, remember?" Spike asked. "Nopony tells me these things."

"Well, let me try to explain it then," Twilight said. "See, when a mare and a stallion love each other very much…"

"Oh, is that it?" Spike asked. "Gross."

"You really figured it out from just that?" Twilight asked.

"I guess I knew more than I thought," Spike said. "Wait a minute, does that mean me and Rarity…?"

"No, Spike. You two aren't of the same species. It's impossible for her to conceive with you as the donor," Twilight said.

"Good. I'm not ready to be a father!" Spike said. Twilight turned away sadly, and Spike got the sense that he had touched a nerve.

"Twilight, it's okay," Spike said. "You're going to be a great mother, I just know it."

"That's what Stethoscope said, but I didn't really believe him, either," Twilight said.

"What? That's just nonsense," Spike said. "Anypony that thinks you wouldn't be a great mom is crazy, and that includes you. I mean, what will your friends think when they find out and they hear you say that? They'll think you're off your rocker."

"Spike, I don't really want my friends to know about this," Twilight said.

"Well, it's going to be hard to hide it from them for very long. Aren't you going to get really fat after a few months?" Spike asked.

"Yes, and maybe I can deal with it then. I just don't want them making a big deal out of this."

"But Twilight, it is a big deal," Spike said. "Hold on, you're going to tell Big Mac, right?"

Twilight felt a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I got into a fight with him last night, Spike. What a thing to go to him now and tell him he's going to be a father…"

"Yeah, that might be a lot to hit him with," Spike said. "But he deserves to know as much as you do."

"Oh, what am I going to do, Spike? I don't think I want to marry Big Mac."

"Whoa, who said anything about marriage?"

"You know how his family is, Spike. Granny Smith's going to be angry that we were…well, you know…and she'll want us to tie the knot for sure. I just don't know how I'm going to break the news to him."

"I say you take him on a great date and then tell him at the end, when you're both feeling like you're having a good time," Spike said.

"That's…not a bad idea, Spike. I could go over and tell him I want to apologize by taking him out to dinner."

"That's the spirit, Twilight! See, I knew you could figure this out."

"Yeah, we'll see if I have this figured out or not," Twilight said.

Fluttershy was at the market doing her grocery shopping on what had turned out to be one of the nicest days in a while. She figured the weather team had been excited about preparing this one, as there was not a single cloud in the sky. While Fluttershy let her thoughts wander, she looked at the various ponies at the market when her eye suddenly spotted Doctor Shrink passing through.

Fluttershy felt her stomach flutter with nerves, and the prospect of running into him did not appeal to her at the moment. Still, he was headed right towards her, and even though he did not see her yet, he soon would. Fluttershy panicked, trying to think of a way out of this predicament she found herself in, but just as she was about to make her move the doctor spotted her in the crowd. He trotted over to her in a friendly manner.

"How are you, Fluttershy," he said. "So strange to see you outside the office."

"Yes, um…strange," Fluttershy said softly.

"How are things? Doing some shopping, I see," Doctor Shrink said, trying his best to be friendly. Fluttershy hated to admit it, but her nerves were starting to calm down.

"Yes, Saturday is my grocery shopping day," she said.

"Splendid. I'm not doing any shopping myself, you see, I just like to come and browse when the weather is nice. Truth be told, I didn't even bring any bits to spend!"

"Oh, that's, um…unusual," Fluttershy said. Doctor Shrink looked at her confusedly but continued.

"Well, I should probably be on my way. You look like you're busy, so I won't take up any more of your time." Fluttershy watched him start to trot away before she realized just why she had been so nervous.

"Wait," she said, and Doctor Shrink stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Do you…um…want to come over for lunch?" Fluttershy felt the nerves settle in again as she made what she thought was a most unusual request. Doctor Shrink stared at her for a moment, gears spinning in his head as he tried to discern what exactly she wanted from him. He had a feeling she wasn't telling him the whole truth.

"I don't normally visit the homes of my patients, Fluttershy," he said, and Fluttershy looked crestfallen. Even more confused now, he trotted over to Fluttershy and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"What are you really asking for, Fluttershy?" he asked in a low voice, so as not to be overheard by the crowd. Fluttershy started to shake, and she could barely stand, especially with the contact at her shoulder.

"Um, I was wondering if you could bring the…whip," she finally admitted, tears starting to form at how humiliated she felt. _Do I have to beg?_ she asked herself.

"Oh, I see…" Doctor Shrink said. "Well, it goes against everything I was taught in school, but I promised it for the next session. It won't do any more harm to get it in a little early…" Secretly, Doctor Shrink was incredibly aroused and desperate to say yes to his patient, but he didn't want to seem overly eager, as he thought it would scare her.

"I'll be over at one," he finally said. "You'll have to give me directions to where you live though."

"Oh, I'm right near the entrance to the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy said.

_Really? How can such a timid pony live there?_ He decided it best not to question it. Knowing where the Everfree Forest was (just so he knew how to avoid it), he needed no further direction.

"Okay. I'll see you soon, Fluttershy," Doctor Shrink said before trotting away and blending in with the bustling crowd. Fluttershy could barely contain her excitement as she continued her grocery shopping.

_Crack!_ went the whip as it lashed at Fluttershy's rump. Doctor Shrink had arrived just on time, and he and Fluttershy had wasted no time entering her bedroom and getting started. They had been at it for a good fifteen minutes, and Doctor Shrink was surprised at how resilient Fluttershy was to all the pain he had been causing her. Fluttershy had long been reduced to tears, but that didn't stop her from pleading for more.

The whip lashed out again, and Fluttershy squealed as it hit her. She also had noticed a new sensation when Doctor Shrink had started with the whip, and that sensation was a burning heat in her loins. Fluttershy had to admit to herself that she was aroused by the pain he was dealing her, just as she had been with Pinkie Pie. She hoped, however, that Doctor Shrink didn't notice her arousal, as she wasn't sure what he would think about it. Before he raised his hoof to crack the whip again, he took a quick sniff of the air.

"I know that smell…" he said. "Fluttershy, can you turn over for a second?"

_Oh no, he's going to find out_, Fluttershy thought. Still, she was afraid to disobey her doctor, so she turned over. She flushed red when she noticed the wet stain on her sheets. Doctor Shrink smiled, which terrified Fluttershy, but he also explained.

"I thought I was the only one getting turned on by this," he said. Fluttershy almost couldn't fathom what those words meant, they seemed so unreal. _He likes this, too?_ she thought.

"Um, I'm sorry…" Fluttershy said meekly.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Fluttershy," Doctor Shrink said. "A lot of my patients have masochistic tendencies like this. I've just never seen them in practice."

"Are you sure it's all right?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm positive," Doctor Shrink said. "Now that I know you're enjoying this, I'd like to propose an experiment…" Fluttershy's nerves flared up again.

"What kind of experiment…?" she asked tentatively. Now Doctor Shrink could feel his nerves beginning to jump. To behave sadistically towards his patient was one thing; what he was proposing was quite something else.

"I want to have sex with you…" Doctor Shrink said, and Fluttershy was shocked to hear this proposal. She immediately started to think about how wrong it was and how she shouldn't consent to such an outrageous request, but she could feel her loins telling her that this was exactly what she wanted.

"Um…okay…" Fluttershy squeaked, and Doctor Shrink couldn't believe it.

"You want to go through with this?" he asked. Fluttershy nodded.

"Okay. Is this your first time?" he asked.

"With a stallion, yes," Fluttershy admitted. "I've already had my hymen broken by a…dildo…" Doctor Shrink decided it was better not to ask how that had occurred.

"Then this shouldn't hurt a bit…" he said. He climbed up next to Fluttershy in her bed and planted a soft, delicate kiss on her lips as a way to test the waters. Fluttershy returned the kiss with passion, mirroring her incredible arousal. She forced her tongue into Doctor Shrink's mouth, and he, flustered, did his best to return her passions with his own tongue. As the kiss grew heavy, Doctor Shrink turned Fluttershy onto her stomach and loomed over her. From this position, he could see her vagina glistening wet, quite ready to accept his penis.

"You really are excited about this, aren't you?" he asked.

"You have no idea," Fluttershy gasped, her excitement making it difficult for her to breathe.

"Then I won't keep you waiting…" Doctor Shrink said. He positioned his member at her hole and maneuvered it inside of her. Fluttershy gasped as she felt her cavern fill up and she reared back, urging him to start thrusting. He did so, and Fluttershy let out squeals of delight as he worked inside of her. Doctor Shrink spanked her raw rump, and Fluttershy delighted in the sensation of being hit.

"Do that again…" she pleaded. Doctor Shrink spanked her and Fluttershy cried in ecstasy. Doctor Shrink continued to spank her as his thrusting grew faster. Soon he felt pressure start to build in his loins, and it wasn't long after that before he released his load. Fluttershy came to orgasm when she felt his fluids stream into her body. Her nerves felt electrified as she felt spasms of pleasure course through her veins. When she finally came down from the high, Doctor Shrink left her body and some of his semen leaked onto the sheets.

"How was that?" he asked, gasping for breath.

"Wonderful," Fluttershy said, no longer feeling any shame.

"Hello there, Apple Bloom," Twilight said. She had just knocked on the door of Applejack's old house and was delighted to see the filly answer the door.

"Howdy, Twilight!" Apple Bloom said. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"I was hoping to see Big Mac and talk to him about something."

"Oh, is this all mushy-gushy stuff?" Apple Bloom asked. Twilight laughed.

"I guess you could call it that," Twilight said.

"Okay. Big Mac! Twilight's here and she wants to talk about mushy-gushy stuff with you!" Twilight laughed again as Apple Bloom walked away from the door. Big Mac soon came to the door and looked at Twilight with an indifferent expression on his face.

"I'm really sorry about what happened last night," Twilight said. "I know this whole thing with Applejack is really confusing, and I know you did your best to try to deal with it."

"Is that the only reason why you came over here?" Big Mac asked.

"I wanted to make it up to you by taking you out to dinner," Twilight said. Big Mac considered this for a moment.

"All right. Granny Smith, I'm going out to dinner with Twilight!"

"Okay!" Granny Smith called out from somewhere inside the house. Twilight and Big Mac left and started walking up the road leading to Ponyville.

"You look exhausted," Twilight said, noting the bags under Big Mac's eyes.

"Ah'm doin' 'bout twice the work now that Applejack's gone," Big Mac said. "'Tain't been easy."

"I imagine not," Twilight said. "Do you miss her?"

"Course I miss her," Big Mac said, "but Granny Smith was clear she didn't want her in the house."

"Doesn't Granny Smith miss her, too?"

"Yeah, she does, but she ain't gonna admit it," Big Mac said. "Stubborn as a mule, that Granny Smith."

"Yeah," Twilight said sadly. "Where did you want to go to eat?"

"Ah don't really care either way. You pick."

Twilight ended up picking a café where they could eat outside in the warm summer evening. The two of them ordered sandwiches with daisies and daffodils in them, Big Mac copying Twilight's order. They ate in relative silence, Twilight's nerves getting to her so that she wasn't speaking much, Big Mac being his normal quiet self. When they were done, Twilight insisted on paying the bill and they started to walk through Ponyville. Twilight led Big Mac over to the fields on the outskirts of the village, where nopony would be able to overhear them.

"Big Mac, I'm sorry," Twilight said. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

"What do ya mean?" Big Mac asked.

"I haven't told you the real reason why I brought you to dinner," Twilight said.

"What's goin' on, Twilight?" Big Mac asked.

"It's…it's really hard to explain," Twilight said, her nerves getting the better of her again.

"Twilight, ah'm sure whatever it is you have to say is gonna be okay. Ah promise ah won't react badly," Big Mac said.

"Okay…" Twilight said, swallowing her fear. _Okay, Twilight, off like a bandage._ Twilight took a deep breath and said it.

"I'm pregnant." Big Mac at first didn't think he had heard her correctly.

"Come again?" he asked.

"Don't make me say it again!" Twilight hissed.

"So you said yer pregnant? Oh, dear Celestia, you're _pregnant_?"

"Yes. Three guesses who the father is," Twilight said sarcastically. Big Mac started to hyperventilate, which disturbed Twilight greatly as the work horse was normally calmer than this.

"Big Mac, relax. It's okay."

"No, it ain't okay. Ah ain't ready to be a father. Why did ah let you seduce me like that? Oh, this is bad, real bad!"

"It's not a bad thing! Trust me, I panicked when I found out at the doctor's office, but Stethoscope said it was really a blessing. You just have to calm down and see all the good things about it."

"Okay, okay, ah'm calm. Oh, but you don't know how Granny Smith's gonna react to all this. She's gonna want us to marry."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Twilight asked with a lascivious smile on her face.

"No, ah guess not. Oh, Twilight, ah ain't cut out fer this." Big Mac started to cry, which thoroughly bewildered Twilight. She gave him a big hug and kissed him on the cheek, rubbing his back in an attempt to calm him down. Eventually he stopped crying and looked at Twilight with love in his eyes.

"This is really happening, ain't it?" he asked. Twilight nodded.

"Ah love you, Twilight," he said. Twilight gave him another hug.

"I love you too, Big Mac," she said.

"Discord, I'm hungry," Pinkie Pie said. Discord looked at her incredulously and shook his head in shame.

"And what, pray tell, do you want me to do about it?" he asked.

"Feed me," Pinkie Pie said.

"Feed you what?" Discord asked. "We don't have any food out here."

"Is that really how you treat a prisoner?" Pinkie Pie asked. "You starve them? What happens when I starve to death, Discord? Do you really want that on your conscience."

"Do you even know what a conscience is?" Discord asked.

"Of course I know what a conscience is! It's that little voice that tells you when you're doing something wrong and tries to steer you in the right direction," Pinkie Pie explained.

"Oh, you really do know what it is," Discord said, surprised.

"So when are you going to feed me?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"All right, hold on," Discord said, and he teleported away. With him gone, the magical restraints around Pinkie Pie vanished, and she fell to the cave floor. She now realized she was free to escape, but she had no idea where she was and no idea which way was the way home. Realizing how helpless her situation was, she started to cry. _I miss all my friends_, she thought to herself. _I miss Sugarcube Corner and the Cakes and Pound and Pumpkin and all the ponies of Ponyville! When do I get to go home?_

Another flash saw Discord returning to the cave with a dandelion sandwich and a garden salad. Pinkie Pie turned and saw the food, and Discord noticed that she had been crying.

"Well, here's your food," he said, not sure how to break the silence between them. Pinkie Pie trotted over and started to eat. Discord simply watched her, not bothering to cast restraints around her again, as she hadn't tried to escape while he was gone.

"Where'd you get this stuff, anyway?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I made it," Discord said.

"With what ingredients?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What does it matter. It's food, isn't it?" Discord asked. Pinkie Pie shrugged and continued to eat. When she was done, Discord sent the dinnerware away with magic. He and Pinkie Pie sat in the cave in awkward silence.

"Discord?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"What is it now?" Discord asked.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Pinkie Pie said.


	28. No Secrets Amongst Close Friends

**Chapter 28: No Secrets Amongst Close Friends**

"Are you all right, Twilight?" Spike asked. Twilight was getting ready to bring Owlowiscious to the park for the weekly pet date. For some reason, Twilight was pacing about nervously around the library. She wasn't sure what had come over her, and she told Spike that.

"I don't know what's wrong, but something just doesn't feel right…" Twilight said.

"Does it have something to do with you finding out you're pregnant?" Spike asked. Twilight was about to shout at Spike for saying that, but she contained herself.

"Maybe," Twilight said. "Or maybe it's because last week Pinkie Pie was acting rather…odd." The pink mare had been touchy with Rainbow Dash, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Applejack. In fact, Applejack had asked Twilight about it.

"She does realize we're datin', right?" Applejack had asked. Pinkie Pie had tackled Rainbow Dash and pinned her to the ground, giggling hysterically.

"I think it's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie," Twilight had said, trying to keep Applejack calm. The last thing they had needed was a fight to break out amongst them.

"Well, maybe ah should just remind her whose mare Rainbow Dash really is," Applejack had said. Twilight had gulped nervously and turned to Applejack.

"Please don't make a scene," Twilight had said. "Try not to let your anger get the best of you."

"Relax, Twilight, ah'm not gonna embarrass you or nothin'," Applejack said. As Twilight recalled, Applejack had kept things civil, and Pinkie Pie had backed off. But Twilight couldn't help but wonder why Pinkie Pie had been so physical with Rainbow Dash in the first place. It wasn't like her to get touchy with somepony else's mare.

"Pinkie Pie was acting odd?" Spike asked. "You mean odder than usual?"

"Yes, Spike, as difficult as that may seem, I mean odder than usual."

"That's really something," Spike said.

"It is," Twilight agreed. "Anyway, I think I'm letting myself get worked up over nothing. It's a lovely day outside; I think I should just try to enjoy it."

"That's the spirit, Twilight!" Spike said.

"All right, I'm off. You know to take care of the library while I'm gone, right?"

"You ask me that every week," Spike said, "and every week the answer is always the same."

"I always want to make sure," Twilight said. Spike rolled his eyes and Twilight laughed as she left the library with Owlowiscious resting on her shoulder.

Twilight, however, was not as at ease as she had tried to portray to Spike. This would be the first time seeing all of her friends since she had gotten the news about her pregnancy. She was afraid her friends would ask her how she was doing and find out about Twilight becoming pregnant. And then what would they think? Twilight was sure Rarity would faint from shock. Fluttershy would probably meekly ask about the foal that would be brought into this world. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, upon further consideration, would probably be accepting of it. But Twilight most feared the reaction from Applejack. If Applejack found out what Twilight and Big Mac had been doing, Twilight imagined the farm mare would flip her lid.

Twilight did her best not to think about that. It was simple, after all, wasn't it? All she had to do was keep quiet about the whole thing and there would be no trouble. Twilight hoped it could really be that simple.

Sooner than she expected, Twilight found herself at the park. She took a deep breath in an attempt to relax herself before joining up with her friends. They had all arrived before her and were already talking while the pets played with each other.

"Hey girls," Twilight said in a voice that sounded like she was forcing cheeriness out of it. Her friends, however, didn't notice.

"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie chirped, giving her a hug.

"Um, hi, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said, returning the hug, even though she was confused about why she was getting one.

"How are you?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I'm…good," Twilight said. "Not much going on besides taking care of the library. How about yourself?"

"Oh, it's busy as usual at the bakery. The little foals, Pumpkin and Pound Cake, they're always a handful. Although the other day, they were being quite crabby while I was trying to sit for them. This was only about a few days ago, too."

"What happened?" Twilight asked, not sure if she was comfortable with the topic of conversation turning to baby foals.

"Well, they refused to eat when I tried to feed them and they were constantly fighting with each other. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get them to cheer up or stop fighting. I couldn't even lull them to sleep. It was a hard day."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Pinkie," Twilight said.

"Makes me pretty glad I'm a filly fooler," Rainbow Dash said. "Applejack and I don't have to worry about babies."

"Unless we decide to adopt someday," Applejack said.

"Why would you want to do that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Hey! Ah reckon ah might want a family o' mah own someday. Would that be such a terrible thing, Rainbow Dash?"

"It would be pretty bad right now. No way am I responsible enough to be a mother."

"True, ah guess ah'd have to be responsible enough fer the both of us."

"How about you, Rarity? Ever thought of hitching up with a stallion and raising some foals of your own?"

"Oh, goodness, no," Rarity said. "Do you realize how much trouble I have dealing with Sweetie Belle the few times I've taken her in? I can't have that in my life twenty-four seven when I'm trying to run a boutique, now, can I?"

"Really? I'm surprised," Rainbow Dash said. "I think you'd make a great mom."

"You ought to talk to Sweetie Belle more often," Rarity said. "She'd tell you otherwise. I'm not good with foals, Rainbow Dash. I'm simply not cut out for it."

"I hear you, sister!" Pinkie Pie said.

"But I thought you loved sitting for the Cakes, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said.

"After the hell they put me through a few days ago, I'm starting to change my mind about the whole sitting thing," Pinkie Pie said.

"So," Rainbow Dash said, "we've got me, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie not ready for foals, and Applejack saying she'd want some someday. How about you, Fluttershy? How do you feel about being a mom?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Fluttershy said, "I think it would be wonderful. I'm just not sure if I'm ready for it right now."

"That's how ah feel, too," Applejack said. "And ah think you'd be the perfect mother, Fluttershy, what with how you treat the critters at yer place."

"Thank you, Applejack, that means a lot," Fluttershy said. "But motherhood is not for me right now."

_Then why did you sleep with him?_ Fluttershy asked herself. Ever since that day she had spent with Doctor Shrink, worries about becoming pregnant had engulfed her and terrified her, making it difficult to get through her daily responsibilities. She hadn't shown any of the early signs, however, and with each passing day she became more and more relieved that she wasn't pregnant.

"That only leaves one mare left," Rainbow Dash said. "Twilight! How does the bookworm feel about being a mom?"

"Me? Oh, I don't know, Rainbow Dash, I haven't really thought about it." This was about as far from the truth as possible. The prospect of having a child in eleven months had overtaken her thoughts ever since Stethoscope had told her she was pregnant.

"Haven't thought about it?" Rainbow Dash asked. "But you think about everything, Twilight! Your brain doesn't have an off switch. Surely you've thought a little about all of this."

That dread that had encompassed Twilight at the library before coming to the park was starting to creep in again. How much should she reveal about her own thoughts. How much was too much? At what point would she give away her secret, the one that only Spike and Big Mac knew about?

"To be honest, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, "it has been on my mind lately."

"Really? That's a little weird," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, I know I just said you think about everything, but what made you start thinking about _that_?"

"Well," Twilight said very carefully, "being with Big Mac, I've kind of…envisioned what might happen in the distant future, and foals definitely came up in my thoughts."

"And?" Rainbow Dash asked. Everypony else leaned closer, anticipating Twilight's answer.

"I think it would be a challenge," Twilight said, "but the struggle would be worth it to have a foal to call your very own. There's no greater love than a mother's love for her foal, right? Thinking about that makes all the hardships disappear." Twilight was now speaking truthfully, and she realized for herself how excited she was to become a mother. Now that the initial shock and fear had subsided, the thought was growing fonder in Twilight's mind.

"Okay, then," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm not sure I agree with you there, but that is nice to hear. So we've got three who want to be moms at some point, and three who seem hell-bent against it."

"I wouldn't say hell-bent," Rarity said. "I just don't think I'd be very good at it."

"And I still think that's a load of crap, but whatever," Rainbow Dash said.

"So, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. "Now that you've asked your question, let me ask something of you. How is it living with Applejack right now?"

"Oh, um…it's pretty awesome, actually," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, the way it happened was totally not awesome, but it couldn't have worked out better. Don't you think so, AJ?"

"Ah have to admit it's been a real treat," Applejack said. "Ah feel like we've grown a lot closer because of it."

"That's fantastic news!" Twilight said. "I'm so glad it's working out for you."

"Well, thank ya kindly, Twilight," Applejack said.

"Oh, but don't you miss your family, Applejack?" Rarity asked.

"What do ya mean?" Applejack asked, her expression souring a bit.

"I mean it must be hard to spend all this time away from them when you used to be so close," Rarity said.

"Well, it is hard, now that ah think about it," Applejack said. "And ah guess ah really do miss 'em…" Applejack started to tear up in spite of herself.

"Wow, what a killjoy, Rarity," Rainbow Dash said.

"Wouldn't that be how you would feel if you had to leave your family?" Rarity asked.

"Can you not bring that up?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh, goodness. I forgot, Rainbow Dash, I'm ever so sorry," Rarity said.

"How can you just forget that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, I don't forget about that so easily…"

"Um…did I miss something?" Twilight asked.

"My family ditched me. What else is there to say?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Um, maybe I can explain a bit better," Fluttershy said. "You see, Rainbow Dash got into a huge fight with her family about something, and she ended up leaving for Ponyville because of it. She hasn't talked to her family since. But, Rainbow Dash, what did you and your family fight about? I don't remember you ever telling me that part of the story."

"It was about me being a filly fooler," Rainbow Dash said. "I liked someone and I told them, and it got so bad that I had to leave. That's why I was so reluctant to admit it to you girls."

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. That must have been hard…" Twilight said.

"Whatever, it's no big deal now," Rainbow Dash said.

"Why, Rainbow Dash, that's just not true," Rarity said. "It is a very big deal."

"What makes you say that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Why, look how much Applejack is struggling with the same thing. Getting rejected by your family hurts, and it does no good to deny that."

"Yeah, Rarity, but it's over," Rainbow Dash said. "It's in the past. It doesn't matter now."

"Mah family rejectin' me is in the past. Does that mean it don't matter to me anymore?" Applejack asked. "The answer is no. The past can still hurt, and it still hurts me."

"Yeah, but your thing just happened. Mine was years ago," Rainbow Dash said. "I mean, what, it's not like I've spent my life from that point on trying to run away from my problems. I always hoped I could get into the Wonderbolts or do something to make my family so proud that they'd forget I was a filly fooler and welcome me back with open hooves, but I guess that's just a pipe dream. Damn it," Rainbow Dash said as she felt tears starting to gather in her eyes.

"You see, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked. "The past can still hurt."

"I know, I know, I get it. You were right," Rainbow Dash said. Applejack went over to Rainbow Dash and gave her a big hug.

"We've got a lot more in common about our families than ah thought," Applejack said. "Don't worry, RD. Even if we never get to see them again, we'll always be together, right? We'll always have each other."

"Sure, Applejack, whatever you say," Rainbow Dash said.

"I'm sleeping with my therapist," Fluttershy said. The other ponies turned and stared at her before one finally decided to speak.

"What did you say?" Rarity asked.

"I've, um, I've been seeing a therapist," Fluttershy said. "It all started when I was messing around with Pinkie Pie and doing BDSM things with her." This was actually news to the false Pinkie Pie, but she did her best to mask her ignorance of this matter.

"Is that true, Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. Pinkie Pie nodded, hoping she wouldn't be asked anything further.

"So wait," Rainbow Dash said, "you started to see a therapist because you were doing BDSM type stuff with Pinkie Pie?"

"Well, um, yes," Fluttershy said. "But things started to get out of hoof. We started to act out my punishments, and he would spank me and then take a whip to my back side."

"That's absolutely not okay," Twilight said. "A professional should not be doing what he is doing. What's his name?"

"Oh, I don't know if I should say," Fluttershy said. "Really, it wasn't all bad, and it's not like I didn't want it or anything."

"Fluttershy, dear," Rarity said, "that was the very reason you were in therapy in the first place. A therapist should not be hurting his patient by performing acts of that nature. And when did he start to _sleep_ with you?"

"Oh, that happened last week. He came over to my house and started to whip me, and once he was done we started to kiss and everything kind of spiraled from there."

"Wow…" Rainbow Dash said, too stunned to elaborate further on her thoughts about this.

"Come on girls, let's go," Applejack said.

"Where are we going?" Fluttershy asked.

"To find this sick pony and teach him to mess with ya, Fluttershy. Rarity's right, it absolutely ain't right what he did to ya and he ought to be punished!"

"Oh no, I don't think that's such a good idea," Fluttershy said.

"What do ya mean? Of course it's a good idea," Applejack said. "Yer just confused because yer in the middle of it. Can't think clearly."

"Applejack, maybe we shouldn't try to punish this therapist of Fluttershy's," Twilight said.

"And just why the hay not, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"We could get in trouble for doing something like that, and as long as Fluttershy doesn't see him again I think we can safely let it end there," Twilight said.

"Are you sure?" Applejack asked. "Somethin' tells me this 'therapist' ain't gonna take no fer an answer."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Applejack," Fluttershy said. "He was very reluctant to do this in the first place. I think if I told him we have to stop then he would be more than happy to oblige."

"Well, that's too bad. I was hopin' to get to do some rasslin'," Applejack said. "It would help me get mah mind off mah problems with mah family."

"Sorry, Applejack, but I don't think that's the best way to deal with your issues," Twilight said.

"Codswallop, ah say," Applejack said, "but ah guess that's the way it's gonna have to be. Ah understand, Twilight. But Fluttershy, if that therapist ever tries to put his hooves on you again, you tell him he'll have me to answer to, got that?"

"Absolutely, Applejack. I don't know what I was thinking even going for it."

"We all do crazy things sometimes, Sugarcube. Don't worry about it."

"I also have a confession to make," Rarity said.

"What is it, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Hold on, Rarity," Twilight said. "Are you sure you want to tell everypony this."

"What?" Rarity asked. "Fluttershy told her story, and this has been eating at me ever since it happened and I want it to be resolved. There shall be no secrets amongst close friends such as these."

"Okay, Rarity, suit yourself."

"Is it really that bad, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You'll see," Twilight said.

"Um, Twilight," Rarity said. "Can I tell the whole story?"

"What do you mean? Oh…" Twilight said. "Well, I guess you can. I might as well come clean, too."

"This is getting weird," Rainbow Dash said.

"Okay, well, Twilight and I had a bit of a fling, I guess," Rarity said. "That's where this all starts."

"A…fling?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Oh wait, you mean _that_ kind of fling?"

"Yes, Rainbow Dash. I mean _that_ kind of fling."

"Gotcha. Keep going," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well, I suppose Twilight never felt about me the way I felt about her, because she started to see Big Mac instead. When I found out, I was more than a little distraught and I wallowed in my sorrows at the library while they were out on a date."

"What were you doin' at the library?" Applejack asked.

"I was hoping to have a rendezvous of sorts," Rarity said.

"What? Oh, you mean _that_ kind of rendezvous?"

"Yes, Applejack, I mean _that_ kind of rendezvous."

"Ah see. Continue."

"Anyway, Twilight left me at the library and before I had composed myself to leave, Spike came into the library. I immediately thought of the sweet revenge I could take and behaved ever so selfishly when I decided that I was going to…to…I can't say it."

"To what?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Twilight, can you help me?" Rarity asked.

"You're going to have to say it," Twilight said.  
"All right. I decided to rape him." Rarity shuddered as she admitted this. Twilight, having already known about it, was relatively unfazed when compared to her friends. Rainbow Dash, who had been floating in the air, actually fell out of the sky.

"You did WHAT?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I admit my judgment was severely inhibited."

"Sugarcube, that's just wrong," Applejack said.

"Oh, oh my…" Fluttershy said, retreating behind her mane.

"Did he enjoy it?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"PINKIE PIE!" the others cried at her.

"Oh, sorry. I mean, how could you?" she asked.

"I can't believe it happened, but happen it did," Rarity said. "If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. But Spike has been ever so understanding and I am forever grateful that Twilight didn't roast me on a spit when she found out."

"Good thing, because I might have," Rainbow Dash said.

"Fine! I have a confession to make too," Twilight said.

"Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What else can I find out today that will stun me?"

"Well, I just found this out last week, and I was hoping to keep this a secret until I was further along, but I guess with everypony else confessing, I might as well tell you now," Twilight said. "I'm pregnant."

The other five ponies were rendered totally speechless. Pinkie Pie kept mouthing words to herself. Rarity looked as though she was about to faint. Applejack stared at the grass awkwardly. Fluttershy looked even more timid than normal. Rainbow Dash, already grounded, collapsed onto the grass and groaned.

"You cannot be serious!" she said.

"It's true. I got it confirmed by the doctor last week," Twilight said.

"Are you sayin' that you and mah brother…?" Applejack asked.

"Yes," Twilight said, gulping nervously. Applejack's expression could not be ascertained at the moment, so Twilight couldn't tell what the farm mare was feeling. Finally, she broke out into a big grin.

"Ah don't believe it! I'm gonna be an auntie. Why didn't you say something earlier, when we were all talkin' about bein' mamas?" Applejack asked.

"I was afraid of how you would react," Twilight said.

"Oh, Twilight, ah'm pleased as punch! Granted the two of you ain't married yet, but ah suppose y'all will have plenty of time to arrange that."

"So you're not mad?" Twilight asked.

"Of course ah'm not! This is great news!"

"How does it feel, Twilight?" Rarity asked. "I mean, knowing you're going to be a mother."

"I was really scared at first," Twilight said, "but everything I said earlier is true. All of the struggles and hardships that come with motherhood just fade away when I think of my little foal looking up at me. It's going to be hard, but it's also very exciting."

"We're going to have to throw you a baby shower," Rainbow Dash said.

"I have a confession, too!" Pinkie Pie suddenly blurted out. Everypony else stared at her with bewilderment, except Rainbow Dash, whose eyes started shifting as if she were looking for a way out.

"What is it, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"Rainbow Dash, she…" Pinkie Pie said.

"She what?" Rarity asked.

"She kissed me," Pinkie Pie said.

"I thought we had a deal, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"So it's true?" Applejack asked, looking as if her whole world had crashed around her.

"It was back when I wasn't sure how I felt about you. There's no way I would ever do it now, I love you so much and—"

"Don't even talk to me," Applejack said. "Those lyin' lips o' yours are no good!"

"Applejack, wait, where are you going?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah'm goin' home. Come on, Winona," Applejack called her dog. Rainbow Dash simply watched, stunned, as Applejack left the park. She then turned in anger to Pinkie Pie.

"How dare you!" Rainbow Dash screamed before jumping on top of her. The two began to wrestle on the ground, Rainbow Dash beating Pinkie Pie's face with her hoof. Pinkie Pie was losing the battle, her face beaten to a pulp. Suddenly, a green spark glowed in her eyes and Rainbow Dash was sent flying off of her. Twilight, recognizing it immediately, charged a magical spell and blasted Pinkie Pie with it. The resultant flash of light blinded the other ponies in the park, and when the light finally faded, they saw Queen Chrysalis in her true form lying unconscious beneath one of the park's trees.

"Okay girls, here's the plan. Rarity, go to the library and get Spike to write a letter to Princess Celestia telling her what just happened. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, we need to get Applejack back. I'll wait here and interrogate her to find out what's happened to Pinkie Pie. Go!" The ponies scattered and did as they were told.

Rarity arrived at the library exhausted. She opened the door to find Spike waiting on the floor of the library.

"What's up, Rarity?" Spike asked.

"Spike, take a letter," Rarity said.

"What's going on?" Spike asked.

"Just do it!" Rarity cried. Spike, alarmed, immediately scrounged together parchment, ink, and a quill.

"Write it as follows: Dear Princess Celestia, we were together at the park when Rainbow Dash attacked Pinkie Pie over some trivial dispute."

"Wait, Rainbow Dash attacked Pinkie Pie?" Spike asked.

"The details aren't important!" Rarity said. She cleared her throat. "In the middle of the scuffle, Pinkie Pie's eyes glowed green and she cast a spell to propel Rainbow Dash off of her. Twilight reacted and cast a spell at her, rendering her unconscious. We need your immediate help to interrogate Queen Chrysalis and find out what she's done to Pinkie Pie."

"Queen Chrysalis?" Spike asked.

"Spike!"

"Right, sorry. Okay…got it." Spike rolled up the scroll and engulfed it in fire. A short time later, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna teleported into the library. Princess Celestia carried a chest with her that contained the Elements of Harmony.

"Take us to the park," Celestia said. Rarity nodded and led the way out of the library. Spike tried to follow, but Celestia shook her head. Discouraged, Spike returned to his post at the library, grumbling to himself.

"Applejack, you don't understand!" Rainbow Dash cried. They had caught her before she had returned to Sweet Apple Acres.

"What don't ah understand? Yer a cheatin' liar, that's pretty clear enough to me!"

"Pinkie Pie didn't turn out to be the real Pinkie Pie. It was Queen Chrysalis in disguise!"

"And ah'm supposed to believe that? Next you'll be tellin' me ah'm Discord!"

"Applejack," Fluttershy said, "Rainbow Dash is telling the truth. We need you to help us find Pinkie Pie so that we can bring all the Elements of Harmony together."

"Are…are you sure?" Applejack asked.

"Look, AJ, what I did was terrible," Rainbow Dash said. "But what Queen Chrysalis has done is far worse. She's taken Pinkie Pie, and we have to find her before she's really hurt! Who knows where she is? Will you put our differences aside to help our friend?" Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash.

"Ah suppose ah have to."

"Then we have no time to lose!" Rainbow Dash cried, lifting Applejack and flying back towards the park. She arrived a few minutes later to find Twilight in heated discussion with Queen Chrysalis.

"How many spells can you take before you give in and tell us where you hid Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. Everypony else at the park had left in fear. Queen Chrysalis looked worse for wear, with gashes all across her black body. Twilight had been lacerating her with magic ever since she had woken up, but the stubborn queen had refused to talk. Suddenly, Rarity returned with the two princesses.

"Queen Chrysalis," Princess Celestia's voice thundered as she approached her. "We offer you two choices. Either tell us where you've taken Pinkie Pie, or prepare to be permanently banished on the moon."

"And trust us," Luna said. "Being banished on the moon is _not_ fun…"

Discord was lounging in the cave with Pinkie Pie held captive because he felt like it. When he heard the sound of teleportation, he grew worried. Before he could step outside, though, two alicorns, two unicorns, two pegasi, one Earth pony, and a defeated changeling stepped into the cave. Twilight and her friends were already wearing the crown and necklaces that Princess Celestia had brought with her.

"They discovered you…?" Discord asked.

"You know what to do," Princess Celestia said. The princess cast a spell that blasted the restraints on Pinkie Pie. Twilight threw Pinkie Pie the necklace, and the six friends began to float in the cave.

"No!" Discord cried, powerless to stop what was about to occur. A rainbow shot out from the center of the six friends and wrapped furiously around Discord and Queen Chrysalis, encasing them in stone. Once the spell had faded, the six friends collapsed onto the cave floor.

"What will you do with them?" Twilight asked the princesses.

"Oh, I think I'll let Luna decide what to do with them," Princess Celestia said. "What do you think, Luna?"

"Send them to the moon, of course," Princess Luna said.

The six friends returned home with the help of the two princesses.

"Twilight, you and your friends have done well today," Princess Celestia said. "Now, it's been a while since you six have written to us about your lessons in friendship, and while I said you only needed to fill us in when you had discovered something, I find it unlikely that you have spent more than a month without learning a single thing."

"Oh, don't worry, Princess," Twilight said. "We'll all be writing lengthy letters about what we've learned this past month."

"Then I look forward to reading them," Princess Celestia said, and she and Princess Luna teleported back to Canterlot.


	29. Dear Princess Celestia

**Chapter 29: Dear Princess Celestia**

_ Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ I have to say that over the past month, I've learned a lot about myself as a dragon and a lot more about true love and how one goes about finding it. It all started when I told Twilight I wanted to live with a dragon colony again. I know, you probably think that's crazy given what happened last time, but I wanted to know if I could find somepony, or some dragon, that I would like. Well, I did meet one who became a good friend. Her name's Ruby and she is very special to me now._

_ When I first met her, I didn't know what to think. She seemed smarter than most dragons I've had the misfortune of meeting, and she didn't disrespect ponies like a lot of dragons do, which I liked. Her father was actually the same dragon that Fluttershy convinced to leave the mountain and stop filling the skies of Ponyville with smoke. I thought that was cool._

_ Anyway, as you probably know, I had a crush on Rarity still, and I found myself missing her a lot while I was away. Don't get me wrong, I missed all the other ponies I know, too, but I have to admit I missed her more than the others. While it was becoming clearer that what I really wanted was waiting for me back at home, I noticed that Ruby was becoming more attached to me, making my decision to return to Ponyville very difficult. But return I did, and wouldn't you believe that she followed me all the way back?_

_ I was freaking out at this point, because now she was straight up stalking me, but Twilight insisted that it was just her way of showing that she cared and that I should try and go on a date with her. I didn't really want to, but I decided to go on a date with her to see how it would all work out, and it really wasn't that bad. Little did I know that something was going to happen that would change my life._

_ When I returned from a date with Ruby one day, it was to find Rarity crying on the couch in the library. I later found out that Rarity had been messing around with Twilight and that Rarity had just found out that Twilight was now seeing Big Mac, but I didn't know that at the time. All I knew was that when I tried to help Rarity feel better, she threw herself at me in ways I never would have imagined possible. I mean, I always thought she never really returned my affections, so I was really surprised and a little scared when she suddenly offered to do whatever I wanted with her. Figuring that she wasn't in her right mind, I tried to say no to her, but she refused to accept that for an answer, telling me that she expected me to jump at this opportunity. She finally pinned me down to the floor and had her way with me, and it was the most confusing thing that has ever happened to me._

_ Part of me wish I hadn't enjoyed it, part of me was disgusted that it happened, and part of me was grateful that it happened. I stayed quiet about it for quite some time after it happened because I was ashamed. I was so confused that at one point I tried to talk to Rarity about it and I ended up confessing that I loved her! Anyway, when Ruby and Twilight tried to get me to talk about it, I got sick of hiding it from them. I told Twilight first, and she took me to confront Rarity, who apologized to me almost as soon as we had sat down to talk._

_ Needless to say, I learned a lot about forgiveness from that experience. Rarity is still a great friend, and I'm not going to let one moment of clouded judgment keep us from being good friends, even though I no longer want to date her. And eventually, I did fall in love with the dragon that followed me all the way to Ponyville just to see me. We took her out of the hotel she had bullied her way into and she's now living with Twilight and me at the library. I have to say I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Spike_

_ Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ This past month has sure been a strange one. Oh, before ah get into it, ah just wanted to apologize fer writin' in dialect. It's just more comfortable fer me that way._

_ Anyway, what was ah sayin'? Oh yeah, ah've had quite the month. Ah suppose it all started with that sleepover everypony had at Twilight's library. We did some pretty silly things at that sleepover, thanks to the alcohol Rarity brought along with her. Well, ah'd best not beat around the bush when tryin' to talk about this. Ah kissed Rarity full on the mouth for thirty seconds, and ah enjoyed it._

_ See, ah'd been tryin' to hide it fer a long time, but ah'm a filly fooler. Ah like mares, stallions don't turn me on in the slightest. Ah just wasn't comfortable with it yet, and ah buried it so much that ah even hid it from mahself. It started to come back when ah offered to give Rainbow Dash a massage, which she accepted gratefully._

_ Now, that Rainbow Dash, why, she's one of the most curious ponies ah've ever met. She was the only one of our group with sexual experience, and she already knew which way she flew. Ah wish ah could have been as comfortable with mahself as she was._

_ Maybe that's one of the reasons ah fell in love with her._

_ Anyway, as luck would have it, she told me she was a filly fooler and ah took the initiative fer once in mah gosh-darned life and ah kissed her straight on the lips. We started goin' out after that, and ah have to say ah'm really glad we did. Ah love Rainbow Dash more than anythin' else on this earth._

_ There was one problem, though, and that was mah family. See, they didn't take too kindly to filly fooling, and if they were to find out that I was involved in it, that meant big trouble for me. So ah kept mah relationship with Rainbow Dash a secret from them for the longest time, until ah finally got sick of it and told them how ah felt._

_ The results were not pretty._

_ Mah family kicked me outta the house, and ah ended up staying at Rainbow Dash's while ah was estranged from them. It really hurt to think that mah family rejected me, even though Apple Bloom told me she wished I hadn't gone. Well, Apple Bloom must have talked to Granny Smith and Big Mac, because after our tussle with Queen Chrysalis and Discord, they came back to me and asked me to return to Sweet Apple Acres. It turns out Big Mac was tirin' himself out tryin' to work the orchards all by his lonesome, and they told me it didn't matter which way mah wagon swung, that they still loved me all the same._

_ Needless to say, ah was grateful fer their change of heart and they taught me that honesty will always win out over secrecy and lies. They apologized fer kickin' me out of the farm and welcomed me back with open hooves. Now Rainbow Dash comes over and helps out on the farm, and she's become a wonderful addition to the Apple family. Don't tell anypony yet, but ah'm thinkin' o' askin' her to marry me! Well, wish me luck, and thanks fer all yer help!_

_ Regards,_

_ Applejack_

_Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ I've had a very confusing month. It turns out that I really like to act like a naughty pony and get punished for doing so with whips and chains and all sorts of other devices, and I'm still not sure why I am this way._

_ It started when Pinkie Pie and I tried some, what is it called, BDSM play. Twilight gave me a book on it, and I think it stands for Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, and Sadism/Masochism. Oh, you must think so badly of me for participating in this kind of thing. But participate we did, and I found myself liking it more and more._

_ Well, I finally came to my senses and put a stop to it, at least, somepony put a stop to it. I don't remember who decided to quit, but it must have been me, because Pinkie Pie was enjoying it too much. Anyway, I decided to go into therapy to find out why I wanted to be punished so badly. That turned out to be a huge mistake._

_ See, the therapist started out behaving like a professional, but when I told him about my sexual play he asked if we perhaps wanted to try it. I was so afraid of saying no, and I hate myself for writing this but I was also attracted to him, so I went along with it. It started with just the infliction of pain, but things quickly escalated and we had sex._

_ Thankfully he didn't impregnate me. We had sex only once before I told my friends what was going on and they told me sternly to stop seeing him. I listened to them, despite my secret desire to continue to see him._

_ I decided that if going to therapy wasn't going to help me resolve my issues, then performing therapy with myself would surely help. So I took to journaling, and the more I wrote about myself, the more I realize my relationship with pain had a lot to do with my father. He was a pretty abusive pony, and he was always disappointed at my inability to fly. He had a belt that he would frequently use to whip me, and he did so relentlessly while my mother just sat and watched it happen. I've never told anypony about this before, at least not with this kind of detail, so let's just keep this between us, okay?_

_ When I realized I was trying to reconnect with my father, I decided to confront him directly by going over to Cloudsdale, where he still lives with my mother. I remembered the teachings of Iron Will as I made the nerve-wracking journey. Even though I took his teachings too far, Iron Will taught me a lot of helpful things about being assertive. Well, I went into my parents' home and I told my father that what he did was not okay and permanently traumatized me. I started crying in the middle of talking to him but I didn't let up, and even though he looked angry with me he sat back and listened. When I was done, he had nothing to say to me, but my mother started bawling uncontrollably and telling me how sorry she was that everything happened. My father just watched her as she cried, and I tried to give her a hug but she was inconsolable. Eventually, I decided it was best to just leave, and I feel a lot better about myself now that I've been assertive._

_ I've talked to Pinkie Pie, and she still likes the idea of messing around, but she's okay with it if we don't inflict pain on each other. I told her I was grateful, and I guess for the rest we will just have to wait and see. Thank you for reading this letter, and I hope I didn't scare you or offend you in any way._

_ Yours truly,_

_ Fluttershy_

_Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ Hi! It's your favorite neighborhood Pinkie Pie writing with a super-important update! This past month has been CRAZY, but mostly in a good way. I know, it's hard to imagine crazy ever being bad, right? But I know sometimes it can be._

_ Anyway, I'm not sure if Fluttershy's going to tell you any of this already, so sorry if I'm repeating myself here, but the two of us started to mess around with some BDSM stuff. I don't remember what it stands for, but I think Fluttershy knows what it is, so she might tell you. Anyway, I was having a super-fun time with it, but I think Fluttershy didn't really like it because she asked me to stop one day. I respected her wishes, even though I was a little sad that it was over._

_ After that some really weird stuff happened between Rainbow Dash and me. She was talking to me about Applejack and her not really getting along. I think one day she told me why they were fighting, and the next day I forgot and tried to ask only she refused to tell me, so that got me frustrated. Anyway, that's not the important part. The important part was that Rainbow Dash kissed me while she was going out with Applejack! Can you believe it? I was quite frankly shocked and disgusted, and I told her she needed to work things out with Applejack and that we would keep this a secret. I mean, any other time, kissing Rainbow Dash might have been fun, but not when she was dating somepony else._

_ Anyway, I'm not sure if I should consider myself a filly fooler, because I liked when Fluttershy acted like a dominatrix over me and, even though I hate to admit it, kissing Rainbow Dash might have been a teensy little bit exciting. But I've never considered myself as a pony who liked mares. I mean, I certainly don't fantasize about mares as much as I do about stallions, and the idea of a stallion sticking his dingus up inside me makes me all happy! Sorry, was that too much information? I have to remember that I'm writing to royalty here!_

_ Anyway, with those thoughts spinning in my head, I forgot to tell you about the time I was kidnapped by Discord. Things actually didn't go that badly. He fed me, got me water, and even trusted me enough to go outside the cave to do my business. I mean, I expected much harsher treatment from the god of chaos, but he was really rather polite for a kidnapper. Still, it made me very sad to think about missing my friends, so I'm glad they found out that Queen Chrysalis was impersonating me and that they found me so quickly after that._

_ Oh, isn't this the part where I have to talk about what I've learned about friendship and magic? Yeah, I think it is! So I learned that your sexuality doesn't have to be rigidly defined, that there's a lot of mushy gray area in there. I also learned that it's okay to rely on your friends and trust that they'll help you when you need it, like how my friends came through for me when I was kidnapped. Oh, and also, I remembered the importance of keeping secrets. I guess the reason Queen Chrysalis gave herself away was because she blabbed about Rainbow Dash kissing me. I'm sure Applejack didn't take that too well, but they came together to save me and they seem to be doing just fine now, so what do I know?_

_ Anyway, I'm not used to writing such long letters, so I don't really know how to end this except by telling you that Fluttershy and I kind of might be a couple now. She doesn't want to do any more BDSM stuff but she's willing to try other things and that gets me excited. Well, thanks for reading my letter, and I hope it was fun for you to learn a little more about me._

_ Your favorite party pony,_

_ Pinkie Pie_

_ Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ I have had quite a confusing month, but it's been a rush that I would never take back if I could. So much awesome stuff has happened, and there were a lot of ups and downs. Anyway, I should probably just get on with it and tell you what happened rather than bore you with all the buildup._

_ So before this month, I was the only one of my group of friends that actually has had sex. Now everypony has had sex with at least one other pony, and a lot has resulted from that, but I'll let them tell you what happened. Anyway, I thought of myself as pretty comfortable with my filly fooling status, even though technically I'm bisexual, so I can't just call myself a filly fooler. I do think of myself in that way now, thanks to Applejack._

_ I think it was the sleepover that first made me realize I might have feelings for her. She gave me the best massage that night, and when she started to rub me down my wings almost stiffened up, which would have given me away. This is probably a bit personal, but do you know that feeling when you're with somepony you really like and your wings get stiff? Wait, you're gods, do you even get feelings for anypony else. Sorry, sorry, I'm getting distracted. Where was I?_

_ Yeah, so I knew I definitely had feelings for Applejack, and she definitely showed me she had feelings for me when she kissed me. Wow, was that exhilarating, almost as awesome as performing a Sonic Rainboom! Wait, no, even more awesome than that, if you can believe it. So we did what we thought was best and decided to start going out._

_ Well, I think I offended her by my choice of food, among other things, but the first date wasn't the best. We got on each other's nerves a lot, and because of that I started getting really confused about how I felt about her. You know, I was wondering whether it was strictly physical or if it was just friendship or maybe a combination of friendship and lust. I couldn't put my hoof on it. Well, before I figured it out I did something that I kind of regret. I ended up kissing Pinkie Pie, because well, she was there for me when things with Applejack were confusing, and I was attracted to her, too._

_ After that, I think our arguing fizzled out, because spending time with Applejack quickly became like the best thing ever. I was riding on cloud nine when I was spending time with her, and it got even better when Applejack told her family about us and they decided to kick her out of her home. I mean, it sucked that Applejack was rejected by her family, but she got to move in with me, so I was within her awesome presence almost all the time. I really cherish that time we had together, because it brought us a lot closer._

_ When that imposter spilled the beans about me kissing Pinkie Pie (I still don't know how she found that out), I thought my relationship with Applejack was over. Thankfully, we came together to take out Discord, but after that she still wouldn't talk to me. I asked Twilight about it, and she told me not to give up on her. I begged and pleaded for her to forgive me, and eventually she finally did. Boy, was I relieved when that happened! I definitely learned my lesson about being faithful though. And here I thought I was the Element of Loyalty, but it doesn't matter, you always have something to learn._

_ Well, I'm always hanging out with the Apple family now, helping AJ out on the farm and eating delicious apple treats with all of AJ's relatives at the dinner table. Anyway, I think I've covered everything I wanted to say, so this is Rainbow Dash signing off._

_ See you!_

_ Rainbow Dash_

_ Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ Never have my emotions been more tried and my confidence been more shattered than over the course of events of the past month. I have behaved in ways I would consider deplorable, and yet my friends still stand by my side, even when I can barely look at myself in the mirror._

_ Of course, love is always where these sorts of tragedies start. Twilight Sparkle and I started to share, well, very intimately. A lady does not divulge the details, but I thought we had something special and started to feel what felt like true love._

_ This was surprising to me. I had never considered myself a filly fooler by any means, and what started as an innocent fling turned into something much more, at least for me. It would appear that Twilight did not feel the same way, because behind my back she started a relationship with Applejack's brother, Big Mac._

_ How torn apart I felt to discover it the way I did! There I was, at the library, coming on to Twilight, and she tells me it's not a good time and that I should leave. Then he knocks and let's on that he's arrived to pick her up for her date, and my heart breaks apart. They leave me to wallow on the couch of despair as they go off frolicking or whatever it was they got into doing._

_ But the monstrosities do not end there. In walks Spike, the treasure of a dragon who has been smitten with me ever since he met me. My heart, broken beyond repair, starts to lead me down a very dark road, a road paved by revenge. Taking my anger out on Spike is something I seriously regret, and I wish I could do anything to take it back. I suppose it won't do to beat around the bush as I am, so I must confess to you, Princess Celestia, that I raped the poor dragon._

_ It is unthinkable, and yet it is what I did. But rather than grow to hate and despise me, the little dragon later confesses that he loves me! How cruel is this world? I can't imagine why he would still be infatuated with me after what I did to him, but that is the way it is. He then tells Twilight, who comes with Spike and Big Mac in tow, and when she knocks on my door, I fear I am done for. But, despite her anger, she deals with me reasonably and we sort out the mess of the event and it seems all is forgiven. But there is still an ache in my heart that chastises me for what I have done, and while the other ponies seem to have forgiven me, I have not been able to forgive myself._

_ Spike is just a darling with his little dragon girlfriend now, and I can tell the two love each other very much. The little dragon seems unfazed by the horrors I put him through. So why can't I let go the horrible crime I have committed?_

_ Princess Celestia, I beg of you, help me learn how to forgive myself as my friends have forgiven me. I want nothing else than to love myself again, and I cannot do it with this black deed hanging over my head. If you can do this, I would have no way of being able to repay you but with my undying gratitude. Oh, please, princess, heal my ailing heart! I eagerly await your reply, hoping you can remove this shadow that has been cast above my head ever since I made that fated decision._

_ Forever yours,_

_ Rarity_

_ Dear Princess Celestia,_

_ I have had a month unlike any other since I first arrived in Ponyville. I've learned so much about myself and the power of friendship that I cannot believe it._

_ It starts with Rarity. The two of us decided to explore our sexualities together, and what bliss did we come to when we did! The forces between us were something I have never experienced, and though I still don't consider myself a filly fooler, I can understand how this sexual power can bind ponies together, ponies like Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who I am glad to report are faring quite well together._

_ Oh, but how this is ever so confusing. My fun with Rarity, I didn't think it meant any more to her than it meant to me, as delightful bliss shared between two good friends. I'm afraid to say that Rarity fell in love with me, but by the time I realized that I was already interested in Big Mac and starting to date him._

_ What happened next I continue to feel guilty over, even though I keep telling myself that I didn't force Rarity to do what she did. You see, princess, Rarity forced Spike to have sex with her. I couldn't believe it when Spike told me. It was rape, and it made me angry. Still, when I went over to the boutique to confront her, I remembered that we were still friends and that she probably already felt overwhelmingly guilty about the whole thing. I'm actually not sure what kind of letter she's going to send you, but I hope she isn't too hard on herself._

_ I'm glad to say that I found it in my heart to forgive her, and so did my other friends when she confessed to them what she did. It really speaks to the power of our friendship that it can withstand something so dark and still shine through._

_ But now I should discuss my relationship with Big Mac. That stallion is so even-tempered, so stoic, and so ridiculously calm that he assuages my neuroses quite effectively. But even he was surprised when I brought him the news that I was pregnant with his foal._

_ Can you believe it, Princess Celestia? I'm going to be a mother! Never could I have prepared myself for this, and my friends were all shocked when I told them. But now Pinkie Pie's arranging the baby shower, and we're just five months away from our new foal being born._

_ Big Mac and I are planning a wedding, and I would really appreciate it if you could come. We're going to have it at Sweet Apple Acres, so I can understand if you are unable to get away from your royal duties to attend. In any case, I hope you won't be too disappointed in me that we didn't wait to get married before, well, you know…_

_ Well, I think that's everything I wanted to say. Say hello to Princess Luna for me, and I eagerly await your reply and I hope to see you at the wedding._

_ Your faithful student,_

_ Twilight Sparkle_


End file.
